Kentucky Derby 2025: Draw, posts, odds for run for the roses

Louisville, Ky.

Journalism, whose fourth straight win came three weeks ago in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, drew post 8 and was made the 3-1 morning-line favorite Saturday night when post positions are drawn for Kentucky Derby 2025.

North America’s biggest race is scheduled to be run next Saturday at 6:57 p.m. EDT. Twenty 3-year-olds plus one also-eligible were entered for the 1 1/4-mile classic worth $5 million.

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Trainer Michael McCarthy said he was delighted with the draw that put Journalism toward the middle of the gate.

“No complaints,” he said. “I would have been happy with anything between 5 and 12, 13, 14, 15. With a horse like him, he gives you a lot of confidence. It really wouldn’t have mattered where he’d have drawn.”

Journalism spent much of the winter as the futures favorite in Nevada. He was best-priced at 3-1 in Las Vegas about two hours before the draw. He will be paired as usual with jockey Umberto Rispoli. With each looking for his first victory, McCarthy is training in his second Derby, and Rispoli is riding in his third.

The stalking style Rispoli is expected to repeat with Journalism may be well served with early pace coming from Citizen Bull, Neoequos, Rodríguez and American Promise drawn in posts 1, 2, 4 and 5.

“My horse is fast as well,” McCarthy said. “We’ll break away from there. Umberto is very tactical. I’m sure there will be a good pace into the first turn. There always is, so we’ll just play the break.”

Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Elayne Stables 5, Robert LaPenta and the Coolmore partners who leased a share own Journalism, an $825,000 yearling purchase who has earned $638,880.

Making his return to the Kentucky Derby for the first time since Medina Spirit’s positive drug test in 2021 led to a suspension, six-time winner Bob Baffert trains two entrants. Wood Memorial (G2) winner Rodríguez will have two-time Derby victor Mike Smith in the irons. Last year’s champion juvenile male Citizen Bull gets Martín García, who seeks his first Derby triumph in his sixth try while stuck with the rail draw that is winless since Ferdinand in 1986.

“You don’t want to be in the 1 hole, because you’re in the gate a long time,” Baffert said. “It is what it is. Once you have the draw, you can’t worry about it. The horses have to be ready to roll. Thank God I didn’t get the 1-2. That would have been horrible.”

Ed DeRosa of Horse Racing Nation also reported for this story.