Tipsheet: 2025 Risen Star Stakes

A huge cast of 13 sophomores will travel 1 1/8 miles on the Fair Grounds dirt on Saturday in the $500,000 Risen Star S. (G2). The 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series tilt will reward the first five across the wire with qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10-5 structure. 

Risen Star Stakes Picks

• #2 Jonathan’s Way
• #4 East Avenue 
• #9 Built
• #7 Septarian

Risen Star Stakes Wagers

• $20 win and place #2 Jonathan’s Way
• $3 trifecta key 2 with 4,7,9

Risen Star Stakes Contenders

#1 AMERICAN PROMISE: Speedy sort from the D. Wayne Lukas barn gets the rail and will be in the hunt early on. The chestnut son of Justify tired in the lane in the Southwest S. (G3) most recently and would be a surprise in this spot. Keith Asmussen will be up. 

#2 JONATHAN’S WAY: Iroquois S. (G3) winner concluded 2024 with a clear second in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) for Phil Bauer. The son of Vekoma has trained well leading up to this contest, and the colt could sit a dream trip just off the pace to the top of the lane before inching clear. Jose Ortiz inherits the mount. 

#3 VASSIMO: Unbeaten son of Nyquist easily toppled allowance foes at Tampa Bay Downs last time and gets a true class test in his graded debut. This Todd Pletcher pupil is out of a very nice mare and can’t be ignored with Irad Ortiz, Jr. coming in for the ride. 

#4 EAST AVENUE: Grade 1 winner from the barn of Brendan Walsh barn will make his seasonal debut in this spot. The Godolphin homebred was awesome in his first pair of career runs last campaign and is training well for his local bow. This Medaglia d’Oro colt will be forcing the tempo from the opening bell and Tyler Gaffalione retains the mount. 

#5 CHUNK OF GOLD: Talented gray was a smart runner-up in the Leonatus S. at Turfway and will try the dirt in an ambitious spot on Saturday. The Kentucky-bred sophomore has a nice turn of foot and is bred for the distance, but he has to prove himself on the main strip before I can endorse him against these types. 

#6 SEATTLE ROAD: Tom Amoss trainee was seventh at 73-1 odds in the Lecomte S. (G3) here most recently and will need a major move forward on this occasion. The bay son of Quality Road will make one run from the back of the pack under Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. 

#7 SEPTARIAN: Exotics contender from the Chad Brown barn was an even third in the Mucho Macho Man S. in his first since moving to this outfit and will have blinkers added for this endeavor. The Protonico colt has been training in good fashion in preparation for this tilt, and the sophomore is bred to thrive going two turns for the initial time, as well. Flavien Prat coming in to ride is a major positive, too. 

#8 GIOCOSO: Iroquois S. (G3) third comes off of a nice win on the lawn last time out and gets a look for a potential exotics piece at a price. The dark bay son of Not This Time has a versatile running style and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him grab a minor share beneath Jaime Torres. 

#9 BUILT: Wayne Catalano trainee has run a pair of very good ones in the stakes ranks on the course in succession and looms large with his best showing on this day. The Hard Spun colt has room for improvement in his third run off the shelf and the colt will likely be close throughout with Luis Saez taking the reins. 

#10 RENDER JUDGEMENT: Gun Runner S. third possesses a nice turn of foot but has yet to prove capable of running with this kind to this stage of his development for trainer Kenny McPeek. The bay son of Blame would be a surprise to me. 

#11 JOLLY SAMURAI: Two-time stakes winner has been outrun in a pair of route races with stakes foes and looks to be in a very tough spot today for conditioner Danny Pish. The son of First Samurai seems better suited for a softer spot. 

#12 VAMOS CARLITOS: Interesting exotics contender ran a good second in a local allowance try in his first off the claim for Greg Foley and has improved his Brisnet Speed figure in every lifetime try to date. The bay son of Catholic Boy will be coming from well back early on with Florent Geroux taking the reins. 

#13 MAGNITUDE: Gun Runner S. second finished sixth in the recent Lecomte S. (G3) on the oval in his latest try and gets the outside post slot for this endeavor. The Not This Time colt will have to take a big step forward to overcome this group while widest of all with Ben Curtis inheriting the ride.