Kentucky Derby Contenders, Entries & Top Horses to Watch in 2025
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Kentucky Derby Contenders
Who is running in the Kentucky Derby? Each Kentucky Derby contender and information on each contender can be found below.
Last updated: December 3rd, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. EDT
2025 Kentucky Derby Contenders
As horses enter the Derby trail, they get one shot to run in the Kentucky Derby in their lifetime.
Discover how horses earn the chance to run in the Kentucky Derby with information below; Information such as contender lists, race entries and point accumulation.
- 2024-25 U.S. Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard
- 2024-25 Europe Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard
- 2024-25 Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard
- 2025 Kentucky Derby contender pedigree profiles
- Quick runner facts and answers
Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Past Performances
Past Performances for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders show how each horse performed in their previous races. Contender past performances are free with bet.
2024-2025 Kentucky Derby Contender Point Leaders
Check out the latest standings of contenders who are hopeful to start the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Positions based on points earned along the Road to the Kentucky Derby trail and non-restricted stakes earnings. Please note that current standings represent only the horses that have been nominated for the Triple Crown races.
| Points | Horse | Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings | RTKD Races Won |
|---|
40 | Citizen Bull | $1,256,000 | American Pharoah, Breeders' Cup Juvenile | |||
15 | Gaming | $520,000 | ||||
15 | Jonathan's Way | $213,530 | Iroquois | |||
11 | Getaway Car | $268,000 | ||||
10 | Chancer McPatrick | $480,000 | Champagne | |||
10 | East Avenue | $368,750 | Breeders' Futurity | |||
10 | First Resort | $289,776 | Kentucky Jockey Club | |||
10 | Sovereignty | $119,280 | Street Sense | |||
9 | Hill Road | $180,000 | ||||
8 | Tiztastic | $725,800 | ||||
8 | Ferocious | $232,500 | ||||
6 | Dapper Moon | $47,238 | ||||
5 | Owen Almighty | $163,060 | ||||
5 | Tip Top Thomas | $100,000 | ||||
4 | Sandman | $28,195 | ||||
3 | Mo Plex | $156,250 | ||||
3 | McKinzie Street | $96,000 | ||||
3 | Filoso | $59,875 | ||||
3 | Mesero | $31,200 | ||||
3 | Giocoso | $28,650 | ||||
2 | Smoken Wicked | $109,200 | ||||
2 | Emerald Bay | $18,000 | ||||
1 | Vekoma Rides | $20,000 | ||||
1 | Render Judgment | $11,610 | ||||
1 | Show of Force | $8,000 | ||||
1 | Bracket Buster | $5,820 | ||||
Rank | Horse | Points | Earnings[b] | Trainer | Owner | Ref |
1 | Citizen Bull | 40 | $1,256,000 | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan | [2] |
2 | Gaming | 15 | $520,000 | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | [3] |
3 | Jonathan's Way | 15 | $213,530 | Philip Bauer | Rigney Racing | [4] |
4 | Getaway Car | 11 | $268,000 | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan | [2] |
5 | Chancer McPatrick | 10 | $480,000 | Chad C. Brown | Flanagan Racing | [5] |
6 | East Avenue | 10 | $368,750 | Brendan P. Walsh | Godolphin | [6] |
7 | First Resort | 10 | $289,776 | Eoin G. Harty | Godolphin | [7] |
8 | Sovereignty | 10 | $119,280 | William I. Mott | Godolphin | [8] |
9 | Hill Road | 9 | $180,000 | Adrian Murray | Arno Racing | [3] |
10 | Tiztastic | 8 | $725,800 | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor | [8] |
11 | Ferocious | 8 | $232,500 | Gustavo Delgado | JR Ranch, Ramiro Restrepo, High Step Racing & OGMA Investments | [6] |
12 | Dapper Moon | 6 | $47,238 | Dallas Stewart | Valene Farms | [6] |
13 | Owen Almighty | 5 | $163,060 | Brian A. Lynch | Flying Dutchmen | [4] |
14 | Tip Top Thomas | 5 | $100,000 | Todd A. Pletcher | James J. Bakke & Gerald Isbister | [5] |
15 | Sandman | 4 | $28,195 | Mark E. Casse | D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds & CJ Stables | [4] |
16 | Mo Plex | 3 | $156,250 | Jeremiah C. Englehart | R and H Stable | [5] |
17 | McKinzie Street | 3 | $96,000 | Tim Yakteen | Leslie A. & Pierre Jean Amestoy Jr. & Roger K. Beasley | [2] |
18 | Filoso | 3 | $59,875 | Chad Summers | Gold Square | [6] |
19 | Mesero | 3 | $31,200 | Dale L. Romans | CJ Thoroughbreds & Delia Nash | [4] |
20 | Giocoso | 3 | $28,650 | J. Keith Desormeaux | Rocker O Ranch | [4] |
21 | Smoken Wicked | 2 | $109,200 | Dallas Stewart | Valene Farms | [5] |
22 | Emerald Bay | 2 | $18,000 | Bob Baffert | Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman | [2] |
23 | Vekoma Rides | 1 | $20,000 | John C. Kimmel | Nedlaw Stable, Denholtz Stables, Dennis A. Drazin & Jerold L. Zaro | [5] |
24 | Render Judgment | 1 | $11,610 | Kenneth G. McPeek | Baccari Racing Stable | [7] |
25 | Show of Force | 1 | $8,000 | Todd W. Fincher | Triple V Racing | [2] |
26 | Bracket Buster | 1 | $5,820 | Victoria Oliver | BBN Racing | [8] |
2024-2025 European Road to the Kentucky Derby Point Leaders
Check out the latest standings of contenders from the Euro series who are hopeful to start the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Positions based on points earned along the European Road to the Kentucky Derby trail.
| Points | Horse | RTKD Races Won |
|---|
20 | Hotazhell | Beresford Stakes, Futurity Trophy |
13 | Wimbledon Hawkeye | Royal Lodge Stakes |
10 | Camille Pissarro | Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere |
5 | Rashabar | |
5 | Delacroix | |
5 | Royal Playwright | |
5 | Tennessee Stud | |
3 | Misunderstood | |
3 | Angelo Buonarroti | |
3 | Windlord |
Showing 1 to 10 of 17 entries
2024-2025 Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Point Leaders
Check out the latest standings of contenders from the Japan series who are hopeful to start the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Positions based on points earned along the Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby trail.
| Points | Horse | RTKD Races Won |
|---|
10 | Natural Rise | Cattleya Stakes |
5 | Clay King | |
3 | T O ELVIS | |
2 | Snappy Dresser | |
1 | Kanreiski |
2025 Kentucky Derby Pedigree Profiles
Prevailing in the Run for the Roses requires a perfect blend of stamina and speed, plus an early-maturing profile sufficient to deliver a winning effort on the first Saturday in May. Learn more about the pedigree profiles of the leading contenders for the 2025 Kentucky Derby below. Use the quicklinks to jump to a specific horse:
JONATHAN'S WAY | CHANCER MCPATRICK | CITIZEN BULL | EAST AVENUE | SOVEREIGNTY | FIRST RESORT
Jonathan's Way
Jonathan’s Way became the first horse to earn points on the 2024-25 Road to the Kentucky Derby when wiring the one-mile Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs.
Bred in Ohio by Susan L. Anderson Racing, Jonathan’s Way has shown versatility in terms of running style. He was never headed in the Iroquois, but won his debut sprinting six furlongs with a big rally after a troubled start.
But does Jonathan’s Way have the pedigree to race 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May? The Kentucky Derby (G1) distance tests both speed and stamina, and while we know Jonathan’s Way has speed, his pedigree suggests stamina is a question mark.
Chancer McPatrick
Chancer McPatrick ranks among the most accomplished two-year-olds of 2024 after winning the Hopeful (G1) and Champagne (G1).
Prevailing in the Champagne earned Chancer McPatrick 10 qualification points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. With two Grade 1 wins under his belt, the bay colt is an early favorite for the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1). But will his deep-closing style prove successful over 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May? His pedigree suggests it’s not a given.
Citizen Bull
Citizen Bull joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with frontrunning successes in the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah (G1) and 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).
A brief glance at Citizen Bull’s pedigree might suggest 1 1/16 miles is the upper limit of his distance capabilities, leaving the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby (G1) out of reach. After all, both his sire and dam sire were sprinter/milers who failed to prove their worth over 1 1/4 miles.
East Avenue
A gate-to-wire victory by 5 1/4 lengths in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) launched East Avenue onto the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
The Godolphin homebred is known for his frontrunning style, but don’t conflate his abundant speed with stamina limitations. His pedigree suggests stretching out over 1 1/4 miles for the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) won’t be an obstacle.
Sovereignty
There was a time not too many years ago when a horse like Sovereignty might have been overlooked as a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender because of his pedigree.
Even with a decisive stretch-running score in the 1 1/16-mile Street Sense (G3) under his belt, bettors might have doubted Sovereignty’s ability to stretch out over 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby. The reason? His sire, Into Mischief.
FIRST RESORT
First Resort showed signs of talent sprinting on dirt and running long on turf, finishing second in the Saratoga Special (G2) and fourth in the Summer (G1).
But a pace-tracking 2 1/4-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby suggests running long on dirt is First Resort’s true strong suit. The Kentucky Jockey Club took place at Churchill Downs, host track of the Kentucky Derby (G1), and from a pedigree perspective First Resort is well-equipped to take aim at the 2025 Run for the Roses.
Quick Kentucky Derby Contender Answers
- Q: How many total horses can run in the Kentucky Derby?
- A: 20 horses can be placed inside the Churchill Downs starting gate, which means 20 horses can run in the Kentucky Derby. There are typically two Also Eligible 'AE' horses who can find a chance to compete, if one of the original 20 horses scratches and cannot run in the race.
- Q: How do horses get to run in the Kentucky Derby?
- A: 18 entries are initially reserved for the top Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race point earners. These prep races are per-determined and if a horse is tied in points, then a specific type of purse earnings are used to assist.
- A: 2 entries in the Kentucky Derby are 'reserved' for runners from the European Road to the Kentucky Derby and the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.
The Kentucky Derby Hopeful Point Accumulation Process
One of the fascinating things about the build-up to the Kentucky Derby is watching the development of young Thoroughbreds. Still babyish as two-year-olds, the Derby hopefuls begin to grow up as three-year-olds -- a process often compared to junior high kids morphing into high school athletes.
Fans can track the horses' progress during the "Road to the Kentucky Derby," traditionally a series of 35 races that take place from the fall of their two-year-old campaign through the spring of their three-year-old year, culminating in the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. Horses earn their way into the Derby by scoring points in these races (the full schedule, along with the sliding scale of points available for a top-five finish in each race, is available here).
Just as major sports teams advance through playoffs, meeting stiffer competition as they get closer to the championship event, so do Derby aspirants aim to climb through each successive prep race. They might not have to win, but they do have to perform well enough -- and stay healthy -- to remain on the trail.
Because the competition gets tougher as the trail unfolds, the Derby points system awards the most points for the marquee preps in late March or April. The winners of the Florida Derby, Louisiana Derby, UAE Derby (in Dubai), Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, and Arkansas Derby each bank 100 points toward the Kentucky Derby, clinching a spot in the field.
So hop onto the Derby trail -- you might find a hot prospect!