Kentucky Derby Roundup: First Resort joins the leaderboard

We’re closing in on a milestone: Wednesday marks 150 days until the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs.

That might seem like a lot, but in horse racing 150 days goes by in the blink of an eye. Five months out from the first Saturday in May, there’s plenty of action taking place on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Let’s catch up on the latest Kentucky Derby news and notes:

First Resort upsets Jonathan’s Way in Kentucky Jockey Club

Four established Road to the Kentucky Derby alumni entered the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs last Saturday, seeking to boost their point totals with the 10-5-3-2-1 points awarded to the top five finishers.

Jonathan’s Way, winner of the Iroquois (G3) on the Derby trail, started as the odds-on favorite off a seventh-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). But although he closed nicely from midfield, it was Road to the Kentucky Derby newcomer First Resort who prevailed.

Second in the Saratoga Special (G2) and fourth in the Summer (G1), First Resort thrived in his first dirt route race, tracking slow fractions of :24.56 and :49.30 in second place before taking over through six furlongs in 1:13.63. By accelerating his final five-sixteenths of a mile in a blazing :29.38, First Resort opened up a daylight lead and held safe the late charge of Jonathan’s Way to win by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:43.01.

First Resort joins the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard in seventh place with 10 points. Jonathan’s Way has climbed to third place with a total of 15 points. Tiztastic, Dapper Moon, and Render Judgment rounded out the top five in the Kentucky Jockey Club and respectively own 8 points, 6 points, and 1 point on the leaderboard.

Remsen draws promising up-and-comers

The next stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby is the Remsen (G2) coming up this Saturday. Held over 1 1/8 miles, the Remsen is the longest Kentucky Derby qualifier for juveniles and the second of six 2025 Kentucky Derby qualifiers taking place at Aqueduct.

Last year’s Remsen proved to be an excellent renewal. The victorious Dornoch went on to win the 2024 Belmont (G1) and Haskell (G1), while runner-up Sierra Leone finished second in the 2024 Kentucky Derby and recently won the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

Only seven horses have entered this year’s Remsen, but several promising names are in the field. Keewaydin enters off a fast maiden victory sprinting seven furlongs at Aqueduct. Studlydoright has placed at the graded stakes level and exits a win in Aqueduct’s one-mile Nashua S. Poster is undefeated in two starts on turf, and Tux impressed when debuting in a maiden sprint at Aqueduct.

Maiden winner Gun Trader and the stakes-experienced duo of Surfside Moon and Aviator Gui complete the field.

Barnes, Into Mischief popular in Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 closed on Sunday with Barnes favored among individual horses at 13-1. The $3.2 million yearling acquisition delivered a determined maiden special weight victory on Wednesday at Churchill Downs.

Meanwhile, five-time (and soon to be six-time) leading North American sire Into Mischief was the top individual choice in the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, closing at 5-1. Into Mischief is the sire of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Citizen Bull, Street Sense (G3) winner Sovereignty, and flashy Churchill Downs maiden winner Patch Adams.

Kentucky Derby contender workouts

Graded stakes winners Gaming and Getaway Car were among five Road to the Kentucky Derby points earners who turned in timed workouts last week:

Emerald Bay: The American Pharoah (G1) fourth-place finisher blazed five furlongs in a near-bullet :59.00 at Santa Anita last Monday. He followed up with half a mile in :48.60 at Santa Anita this morning.

Gaming: In his second timed workout since taking runner-up honors in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Del Mar Futurity (G1) conqueror Gaming clocked half a mile in :47.40 at Santa Anita last Monday. Then this morning, he turned in his third post-Breeders' Cup workout, traveling five furlongs in 1:00.00.

Getaway Car: Runner-up in the American Pharoah and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Best Pal (G3) winner Getaway Car worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Owen Almighty: After taking nearly two months off from serious training, Iroquois (G3) runner-up Owen Almighty got back in action with an easy three furlongs in 38.45 seconds on Saturday at Palm Meadows.

Sandman: The Street Sense third-place finisher traveled three furlongs in 1:02.00 on Sunday at Oaklawn Park.

American Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five

1. Citizen Bull (40 points)
2. Gaming (15 points)
3. Jonathan’s Way (15 points)
4. Getaway Car (11 points)
5. Chancer McPatrick (10 points)

European-Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five

1. Hotazhell (20 points)
2. Wimbledon Hawkeye (13 points)
3. Camille Pissarro (10 points)
4. Rashabar (5 points)
5. Delacroix (5 points)

Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five

1. Natural Rise (10 points)
2. Clay King (5 points)
3. T O Elvis (3 points)
4. Snappy Dresser (2 points)
5. Kanreiski (1 point)