Saturday guide: Claiming Crown offers huge fields, high payoffs
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Churchill Downs hosts the 27th edition of the Claiming Crown on Saturday. This series of eight starter allowance races was developed as a version of the Breeders' Cup for blue-collar owners. The day's feature is race 10, the Claiming Crown Jewel at 1 1/8 miles on dirt with a purse of $200,000.
Seven of the eight Claiming Crown races have overflow fields, and three are on turf. It's a great card offering lots of angles for handicappers.
Before the Claiming Crown action, seven fillies and mares in race 3 will contest the Grade 3 Chilukki stakes at one mile on dirt.
Coverage of the Claiming Crown and Chilukki stakes will be on FanDuel TV's regular broadcast beginning at 11 a.m. EST.
Free past performances for this weekend's stakes are courtesy of Brisnet.
Here are the top 2025 speed figures for the Claiming Crown Jewel entrants.
| No. |
Horse |
Beyer* |
TFUS* |
Brisnet |
HRN |
| 1 |
Gilded Craken |
90 |
117 |
92 |
112 |
| 2 |
Cadet Corps |
90 |
113 |
99 |
120 |
| 3 |
Happy Strike |
85 |
109 |
94 |
120 |
| 4 |
Overstatement |
89 |
109 |
92 |
120 |
| 5 |
Alternate Reality |
90 |
109 |
101 |
125 |
| 6 |
Welaka |
91 |
109 |
97 |
125 |
| 7 |
Double Your Money |
94 |
111 |
102 |
121 |
| 8 |
Le Gris |
91 |
115 |
95 |
120 |
| 9 |
Carolo Rapido |
88 |
113 |
94 |
116 |
| 10 |
Bernin Hot |
91 |
114 |
97 |
121 |
| 11 |
Dance Some Mo |
87 |
114 |
90 |
123 |
| 12 |
Navajo Warrior |
95 |
113 |
95 |
126 |
| 13 |
Point Dume |
90 |
116 |
98 |
125 |
| 14 |
American Law |
89 |
110 |
95 |
122 |
| 15 (AE) |
Brilliant Man |
79 |
106 |
89 |
111 |
| 16 (AE) |
Dr. Storm |
83 |
105 |
87 |
124 |
*Beyer and TimeformUS speed figures are presented courtesy of Daily Racing Form.
HRN handicappers
Speaking of field size, HRN's Ed DeRosa calculated the average exacta payouts for the last 10 years and discovered just how much better they are with bigger fields. Check out that chart, as well as some long-shot keys in the Claiming Crown Jewel, in his fair odds column.
The Chilukki looks like a lone speed pace scenario to Head-to-Head handicappers Laurie Ross and Ashley Tamulonis. Get their horse-by-horse analysis and plays.
Claiming Crown is one of Super Screener creator Mike Shutty's absolute favorite betting days. He's got a live long-shot bomb for the Claiming Crown Glass Slipper – check it out here.
Get analysis for all eight Claiming Crown races plus all the stops on the road to the Kentucky Derby.
Meanwhile on HorseCenter, Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman focus their attention on Aqueduct's Jockey Club Oaks (G3) on turf. It's another match-up between Fionn and Laurelin – see who they like.
The Ron Flatter Racing Pod has gone fishin' this week with Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Eric Reed. He dials in from the lakeside in Scott County, Ky., for a chat about Reed's family, horse racing and the biggest day of his life, Rich Strike's 80-1 upset in the Kentucky Derby.
| No. |
Silks |
Horse / Sire |
Rating |
Trainer / Jockey |
Last Start (HRN) / Next Start |
Morn. Line |
| 1 |
|
Gilded Craken McCraken |
0.00 |
Joe Sharp Jose Ortiz |
9th (102), KEE ALW (10/08/2025-R8) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
10-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
9th (102), KEE ALW (10/08/2025-R8) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 2 |
|
Cadet Corps Will Take Charge |
3.79 |
Kelly J. Breen Junior Alvarado |
3rd (112), DEL STR (09/13/2025-R7) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
6-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
3rd (112), DEL STR (09/13/2025-R7) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 3 |
|
Happy Strike Runhappy |
0.00 |
F. Dewaine Loy Emmanuel Esquivel |
1st (120), PRM STR (09/19/2025-R5) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
20-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
1st (120), PRM STR (09/19/2025-R5) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 4 |
|
Overstatement Exaggerator |
0.00 |
Kenneth G. Miller Luan Machado |
1st (114), KEE STR (10/08/2025-R3) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
20-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
1st (114), KEE STR (10/08/2025-R3) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 5 |
|
Alternate Reality Alternation |
0.00 |
Joe Sharp Brian J. Hernandez, Jr. |
2nd (123), KEE STR (10/15/2025-R2) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
15-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
2nd (123), KEE STR (10/15/2025-R2) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 6 |
|
Welaka Malibu Moon |
4.09 |
Kelsey Danner Adam Beschizza |
1st (125), CD STR (09/28/2025-R3) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
15-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
1st (125), CD STR (09/28/2025-R3) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 7 |
|
Double Your Money Demarchelier |
4.45 |
Benjamin J Dunn Melvis Gonzalez |
1st , Aqu Str (10/18/25-R3) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
6-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
1st , Aqu Str (10/18/25-R3) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 8 |
|
Le Gris City of Light |
0.00 |
Rudy R. Rodriguez Axel Concepcion |
9th , Aqu Str (10/18/25-R10) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
30-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
9th , Aqu Str (10/18/25-R10) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 9 |
|
Carolo Rapido Curlin |
4.59 |
Eddie Kenneally Ben Curtis |
4th (109), ELP AOC (08/11/2025-R8) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
30-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
4th (109), ELP AOC (08/11/2025-R8) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 10 |
|
Bernin Hot Bernardini |
5.48 |
Rohan Crichton Luis Saez |
1st (112), CD AOC (09/18/2025-R7) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
4-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
1st (112), CD AOC (09/18/2025-R7) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 11 |
|
Dance Some Mo Uncle Mo |
4.12 |
Thomas L. Van Berg Francisco Arrieta |
1st (114), IND ALW (10/22/2025-R1) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
30-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
1st (114), IND ALW (10/22/2025-R1) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 12 |
|
Navajo Warrior Candy Ride |
0.00 |
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. Irad Ortiz, Jr. |
1st (111), CD ALW (09/25/2025-R7) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
7-2 |
Last Race Next Race |
1st (111), CD ALW (09/25/2025-R7) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 13 |
|
Point Dume Into Mischief |
0.00 |
Timothy C. Kreiser Tyler Gaffalione |
1st (120), M.P. Ballezzi Appreciation Mile S. 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
9-2 |
Last Race Next Race |
1st (120), M.P. Ballezzi Appreciation Mile S. 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 14 |
|
American Law Constitution |
4.12 |
Sarah Shaffer Jaime Torres |
2nd (111), CD CLM (10/29/2025-R4) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
30-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
2nd (111), CD CLM (10/29/2025-R4) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 15 |
|
Brilliant Man Tale of Verve |
0.00 |
Eric R. Reed Gabriel Saez |
2nd (99), CD CLM (10/31/2025-R6) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
50-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
2nd (99), CD CLM (10/31/2025-R6) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
| 16 |
|
Dr. Storm Vino Rosso |
0.00 |
Edgar Espinoza Eduardo Gallardo |
5th (94), KEE STR (10/19/2025-R5) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
30-1 |
Last Race Next Race |
5th (94), KEE STR (10/19/2025-R5) 2025 Claiming Crown Jewel RS |
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