Kentucky Derby 2025: Friday update on the field of 19

Repole Stable’s Grande was scratched from Kentucky Derby 2025 Friday morning by trainer Todd Pletcher because of a bruised foot.

Training hours Saturday are 5:15-7:15 a.m. EDT with the 7:45-8 a.m. EDT period reserved for Derby entrants.

Admire Daytona. Admire Daytona had a light training session at 7:45 a.m. in the one-mile chute.

“The moment he crossed the finish line (in the Grade 2 UAE Derby), I thought he’d come in second. People around me told me I’d won but I thought it was false joy,” Kondo said in an interview with Nikkan Sports. “The moment the board said I’d come in first, we all celebrated. I had talk to people around me and with (trainer Yukihiro) Kato about going to the Kentucky Derby if we could win. I didn’t really understand how important the Kentucky Derby was but when I heard that I would be able to take part in such an important race, I was really excited.”

Kondo inherited her horse ownership from her late husband about five years ago. Admire Daytona was purchased as a yearling from for about $426,000.

“After Admire Lupus became popular, I was looking for a horse that would do well on dirt tracks, and I was interested in Drefong offspring, so I really wanted one,” Kondo continued. “The deciding factor was the face. I don’t know what the hindquarters are like. I like a slender body, and also a cute or handsome face. I also look at the eyes. I think Daytona is a good-looking guy.”

American Promise. American Promise jogged two miles at 5:15 under Tayja Smith for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

After his on-track activity, the Virginia Derby winner had his daily grazing session behind barn 42.

Lukas said American Promise might jog in the morning.

Baeza. The Curlin colt Baeza, whose folks were hoping, hoping, hoping all week long that they’d get off that also-eligible list and make the starting field for the Kentucky Derby, had their wishes come true Thursday evening when trainer John Shirreffs got the word that Rodríguez had been withdrawn from the contest and they were a go.

The good news caused a bit of a scramble in the Los Angeles area, where primary owner Lee Searing and his wife Susan had to round up the troops that included their two daughters and their kids. Then Shirreffs’s wife Dottie jumped in, too. They all headed to the airport to board Searing’s jet and made it in to Louisville. Friday morning they were on site at Churchill at barn 41 to watch their favorite colt head trackside during the 7:45 to 8 training period for Derby and Oaks horses.

Exercise rider Frankie Herrate took the colt to the Churchill paddock for a couple of tours around, then galloped him a good mile around the track.

Baeza, who was second most recently in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) behind Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism, will break from post 19 following the further scratch Friday morning of the Todd Pletcher colt Grande. The Shirreffs charge will be ridden by the reining Eclipse Award winner Flavien Prat.

Burnham Square. Burnham Square galloped 1 3/8 miles after coming on the track at 7:50.

With owner Clay Whitham, jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. and trainer Ian Wilkes looking on from the backstretch, the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner went about his business under regular morning partner Mark Cutler.

Wilkes said Burnham Square probably would not go to the track Saturday morning.

Whitham, who teamed with Wilkes to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in 2012 with Fort Larned with Hernandez aboard, arrived in Louisville Thursday with hopes of watching the homebred Burnham Square become a Kentucky Derby winner.

“I am absolutely pumped,” said Whitham, whose mother Janis will be watching the race on television back home in Kansas with other family members.

Rain remains in the forecast for later Friday and most of the day Saturday.

“I may go through three pairs of goggles,” said Hernandez, who will exit post 8 with Burnham Square. “Hope we can get a dirt-free trip.”

Chunk of Gold. Chunk of Gold galloped at 7:45 a.m. with trainer Ethan West in the saddle.

Citizen Bull, Rodríguez. The duo of Bob Baffert Kentucky Derby candidates went trackside at 7:45 Friday morning for gallops. Exercise rider Eric Garcia handled Citizen Bull, and Humberto Gomez was aboard Rodríguez.

The two colts subsequently will follow different paths, Citizen Bull to Saturday’s Derby and Rodríguez to the sidelines.

Rodríguez, a son of the Into Mischief stallion Authentic, was officially scratched from the Derby Thursday afternoon by Baffert. “He’s got a small bruise on a foot and I need a few more days to get him right,” the Hall of Fame conditioner offered Friday morning. “The plan is hopefully to run next in the Preakness.”

Citizen Bull, an Into Mischief offspring who was 2024’s 2-year-old champion, will break from post 1 Saturday under regular rider Martin Garcia. The speedy youngster is expected to make the lead and make the pace in Derby 151. He did something similar last fall at Del Mar in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, busting out of the gate on top and never looking back.

Coal Battle. Coal Battle was on the track at 6:10 for a visit to the paddock and then a 1 1/2-mile gallop under Bethany Taylor.

Coal Battle will exit post 15 under first-time Derby rider Juan Vargas in the run for the roses.

“I hope he gets to 10th to 12th and then sits,” trainer Lonnie Briley said. “Then he can sit some more and then when he thinks he has sat long enough, he can sit some more.”

Briley said Coal Battle would not go to the track Saturday morning.

East Avenue. East Avenue galloped during the 7:45-8 training window under Stephen Dolan for trainer Brendan Walsh.

Final Gambit. Final Gambit galloped at 7:45 under Joel Osorio for trainer Brad Cox.

Flying Mohawk. Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) runner-up Flying Mohawk had his final training session prior to the Kentucky Derby Friday at 7:45 a.m.

The colt will have jockey Joe Ramos, who will be riding in his first Kentucky Derby.

The journey for Ramos to get back to the saddle was far from routine. One year ago, Ramos was recovering from severe injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident. At one point, Ramos thought he’d never ride again.

“My family gave me all the support I needed because it was a really bad accident,” Ramos said. “I just started working as hard as I could to get back to what I love doing and here is the result of all the hard work. I just kept putting so much effort and time into getting back. I can’t thank (trainer) Whit (Beckman) enough for supporting me. He’s done so for a long time.”

Flying Mohawk will make his first start on dirt in the Kentucky Derby after racing solely on turf or all-weather surfaces.

“You can see by the way he works over the dirt that he looks like many good dirt horses,” Ramos said. “He handles it well. The first time I worked him after the Jeff Ruby, he loved this track.”

Grande. The Curlin colt, most recently second in the Wood Memorial, will not make his next start in the Kentucky Derby, it was announced Friday morning.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said he was dealing with something “similar to what Bob (Baffert) had with Rodríguez. My colt has a bruised foot and it's better not to run him now.”

Journalism. The Kentucky Derby favorite continued to look the part as he galloped during the 7:45 to 8 a.m. training period Friday.

Only a few Oaks types stretched their legs for their nine-furlong date later in the day, but most of the Derby horses were out. Journalism, a son of super sire Curlin, put in his drill under regular exercise rider Marc Witkowski.

Back at barn 35, assistant trainer Justin Curran was asked if the big bay colt had any unusual little tweaks about him.

“Carrots,” Curran said. “He loves carrots. Before we feed him, we have to give him carrots. He eats them up, then dives into his food.”

Luxor Café. Luxor Café warmed up in the mile chute and then at 7:45 moved to the main track and galloped under Naoto Suzuki for trainer Noriyuki Hori.

Neoequos. Neoequos picked up the saddle services of Luis Saez with the scratch of Rodríguez moving Baeza and jockey Flavien Prat into the main body of the field.

Owen Almighty. Owen Almighty galloped a mile and three-eighths under Antonio Orellano for trainer Brian Lynch at 7:50.

Lynch said Owen Almighty would not go to the track Saturday morning.

Publisher, Tiztastic. Trainer Steve Asmussen’s Derby duo of Publisher and Tiztastic galloped during the 7:45-8 training window.

Roberto Howell was aboard Publisher and Carlos Rosas on Tiztastic.

Render Judgment. Render Judgment galloped during the 7:45-8 training window under Robby Albarado for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Sandman. Sandman jogged a mile under Froylan Garcia at 7:50 for trainer Mark Casse.

Casse said the Arkansas Derby (G1) winner would not go to the track Saturday morning.

Sandman will have Jose Ortiz aboard in the Derby.

“I’m going to let Jose play it from the break and just get him in a rhythm,” Casse said.

Sovereignty. Trainer Bill Mott, aboard his ever-present pony Friday morning at Churchill Downs, was asked what was going to happen later during the 7:45 training period for his Derby colt Sovereignty. Strong gallop? Medium gallop? Light gallop?

“I guess however you want us to go,” the Hall of Famer said with a smile.

Subsequently, the Into Mischief colt, steered by regular exercise rider Javier Cardona, galloped “solidly” in the middle of the racetrack and looked a picture on a sunny morning at Churchill Downs.

“He’s doing good,” Mott added.

Junior Alvarado will be aboard the bay on Derby afternoon.