Kentucky Derby 2025: Owen Almighty, Built drill at Churchill

Owen Almighty and Built turned in five-furlong works Thursday morning over a fast track at Churchill Downs in preparation for Kentucky Derby 2025.

Working during the 7:15-7:30 EDT training window reserved for Derby and Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks horses, Owen Almighty breezed five furlongs in 1:01.60 in company with Antonio Orellana aboard for trainer Brian Lynch.

Working during the same period, Built covered the distance in a morning-best 59.4 seconds under jockey Ben Curtis for trainer Wayne Catalano.

On a fast track at Gufstream Park, Neoequos worked four furlongs in 48.4 seconds, fastest of 16 at the distance. The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee would be the next runner in the Derby field if there is a defection ahead of him.

Friday’s work schedule at Churchill Downs is unsettled, much like the weather forecast for Louisville the next two days with off-and-on rain expected. Possible Kentucky Oaks workers include likely favorite Good Cheer, Ballerina d’Oro, Tenma, Take Charge Milady, Simply Joking, Drexel Hill and Fondly.

Scheduled to work Friday morning at Turfway Park is Chunk of Gold for trainer Ethan West. At Keeneland, Grande, trained by Todd Pletcher is scheduled to work at 7:30 or 9. Also scheduled to work at Keeneland for the Kentucky Oaks is Quietside for trainer John Ortiz. Scheduled to work at Palm Beach Downs for the Oaks is Five G, trained by George Weaver.

Here's a rundown of Thursday's activity by Kentucky Derby hopefuls.

Admire Daytona. The UAE Derby (G2) winner schooled in the Kentucky Derby starting gate then galloped.

He’s scheduled to school in the paddock on Wednesday.

American Promise. Virginia Derby winner American Promise visited the paddock and then galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Tayja Smith for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Built. Built breezed five furlongs in :59.40 Thursday morning under jockey Ben Curtis.

He began his move with a 24.0-second quarter mile and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.40, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

Trainer Wayne Catalano said he would talk to the ownership group and make a decision to enter the Kentucky Derby or the Pat Day Mile (G2).

Burnham Square. Burnham Square visited the starting gate and then galloped a mile under Mark Cutler for trainer Ian Wilkes.

Cutler has been down the Derby road before with Wilkes. In 2007 when Wilkes was an assistant to Carl Nafzger, Cutler was the exercise rider for Street Sense.

For Cutler, there is one main difference in the morning routines of Street Sense and Burnham Square.

“Street Sense liked to take his time,” Cutler said. “We’d get to Barn 30 and he would stop and wanted to look at everything. It was like he owned the place.”

In a way, Street Sense did. He won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs in the fall of 2006 and six months later won the Derby to give Nafzger a second victory in the race.

For Burnham Square, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) in his most recent start, it is straight to the track for his morning training.

“He tests you a little bit,” Cutler said with a grin. “He wants to do a little more than you want.”

Chunk of Gold. Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up Chunk of Gold continued his normal training pattern at Turfway Park.

He’s scheduled to work Friday morning then van to Churchill Downs that afternoon.

Citizen Bull, Rodriguez. Bob Baffert's Wood Memorial (G2) winner Rodriguez galloped at 7:15 a.m.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Citizen Bull was scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs Thursday afternoon.

Coal Battle. Coal Battle returned to the track to jog a mile under Bethany Taylor after having a walk day Wednesday.

“We just wanted to stretch his legs a little bit,” Taylor said of the Lonnie Briley trainee.

East Avenue. East Avenue galloped at 7:15 a.m. under exercise rider Stephen Dolan.

East Avenue cemented his spot in the Derby by finishing second in the Blue Grass after a puzzling 10th-place finish in the Risen Star (G2).

“I think we learned more about the horse in the Risen Star than ever before,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “We had to knuckle down on him and get tougher on him. He didn’t learn an awful lot last year because he was just so talented at that stage. We didn’t realize it at the time that we might have been too easy on him, but the Risen Star we had to fix that.”

East Avenue is scheduled to breeze Saturday.

Final Gambit, Tappan Street. Trainer Brad Cox’s duo of Final Gambit and Tappan Street both galloped Thursday morning.

The two are scheduled to work Saturday.

Journalism Journalism visited the starting gate and then galloped 1 3/8 miles under Marc Witkowski for trainer Michael McCarthy.

Winner of his past four starts, the likely Kentucky Derby favorite is scheduled to work this weekend for his final major Derby preparations.

“He’s an easy horse to train,” McCarthy said. “When he came to us last summer as a 2-year-old he sort of showed us he was more advanced than your average 2-year-old. He really proved that once we stretched him out in the second start, and we knew he wasn’t an average 2-year-old.”

Luxor Cafe. Luxor Café arrived at Churchill Downs Wednesday evening and jogged in the one-mile chute Thursday.

Japan road to the Kentucky Derby liaison Kate Hunter said his connections were very pleased with how he shipped and will continue to do more in his training in the next several days.

Owen Almighty. Owen Almighty took advantage of a glorious morning and a fast track to work five furlongs in 1:01.60 under Antonio Orellana for trainer Brian Lynch.

Working in company with the maiden 3-year-old filly Nosleeptilbrooklyn, Owen Almighty started two lengths behind his workmate and posted fractions of 26.0, 37.6 and 1:01.6 and galloped out well in front with six furlongs in 1:14.0 and seven-eighths in 1:27.0.

“I didn’t want to take a chance on the weather,” Lynch said of working this morning as opposed to Friday as initially planned. “The work couldn’t have been any better.”

Publisher, Tiztastic. Trainer Steve Asmussen’s duo of Publisher and Tiztastic schooled in the Churchill Downs starting gate before beginning their normal training sessions.

Sandman. Sandman had a walk day after his five-furlong work in 1:02.60 of Wednesday morning.

“He walked early, and he’s just chilling now,” trainer Mark Casse said.

Sovereignty. Sovereignty visited the starting gate and then galloped under exercise rider Guesler Cardona for trainer Bill Mott.

“We’re all good here,” Mott said. “He stood in the gate, backed out and then galloped well.”

A final work date for Sovereignty remains fluid given the uncertain weather pattern in Louisville for the next few days.

“I could go Sunday or Monday,” Mott said. “It doesn’t matter to me.”