Churchill Downs: Burnham Square is aimed for Matt Winn
Burnham Square, a troubled, sixth-place finisher in Kentucky Derby 2025, is being pointed to the Grade 3, $400,000 Matt Winn Stakes on June 8 at Churchill Downs, according to trainer Ian Wilkes.
The winner of the April 7 Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland, Burnham Square experienced significant trouble in the Derby when Admire Daytona slowed abruptly in front of him and caused jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. to check repeatedly.
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“In a 20-horse field (actually 19), somebody is going to have trouble, and I guess it was my turn,” Wilkes said the morning after the race. “I thought he ran a terrific race. He got stopped at the half-mile pole when everybody else was making their move, and then he got going again to get sixth. Without the trouble, I think he would have been in the top three.”
A Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred gelding by Liam’s Map, Burnham Square is out of Liam’s Map mare Linda, who won the 2016 Mrs. Revere Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. Since breaking his maiden in December on third asking, Burnham Square won the Holy Bull (G3) and finished fourth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) during his 3-year-old winter.
Nominations for the Matt Winn, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds, close May 28.