Kentucky Derby prep: Jonathan's Way tries Ky. Jockey Club

The road to the Kentucky Derby continues next Saturday at Churchill Downs, where Iroquois Stakes (G3) winner Jonathan’s Way headlines a competitive field of 10 2-year-olds entered in the 98th running of the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2), the featured race on the second annual stars of tomorrow program.

The 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club will be run as race 11 on the 12-race program with a post time of 5:48 p.m. EST. First post is 1 p.m. The card also will feature its filly counterpart, the $400,000 Golden Rod (G2) in race 9, which is part of the road to the Kentucky Oaks prep season. Additional stakes on the program are the $225,000 Ed Brown in race 6 and the $225,000 Fern Creek in race 10.

Trained by Phil Bauer for Rigney Racing, Jonathan’s Way burst onto the road to the Kentucky Derby with a commanding 2 3/4-length score in the Iroquois in September and earned 10 qualifying points toward a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby on May 3. After his standout performance, the Ohio-bred colt was among the top choices for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile but finished a disappointing seventh after chasing a moderate early pace set by eventual winner Citizen Bull. Jockey Joel Rosario, aboard for the Iroquois and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, retains the mount and will guide Jonathan’s Way on Saturday from post 2.

Jonathan’s Way will face several promising 2-year-olds including Grey Stakes (G3) winner He’s Not Joking, Saratoga Special (G2) runner-up First Resort and Breeders’ Futurity (G1) third-place finisher Filoso.

The Kentucky Jockey Club is a Road to the Kentucky Derby prep season race that offers qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale toward a spot in the starting gate.

2024 Kentucky Jockey Club G2