Triple Crown tracker: 3-year-olds gear up for summer spots
The Triple Crown Tracker checks in with the horses who raced in the 2025 Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, keeping up with what they have done since the classics.
2025 Kentucky Derby
For anyone who watched the Kentucky Derby, the top three finishers in the Belmont looked mighty familiar: Sovereignty rallied to victory over Journalism, with Baeza chasing on to round out the trifecta. One other Kentucky Derby entrant contested the final leg of the Triple Crown: Rodriguez, making his first start since being scratched from the run for the roses with a foot bruise, set the pace before flattening out to fourth.
A pair of Kentucky Derby runners shortened up for the Woody Stephens (G1) on Belmont day. Citizen Bull faired the better of the two, tracking the pace and finishing fourth, 5 3/4 lengths behind Patch Adams. Neoequos, who got a wide trip nowhere near his customary forward place, finished ninth beaten 6 1/2 lengths.
Four others from the Kentucky Derby returned in the Matt Winn on June 8. In fact, after scratches, the field comprised four horses who were all coming out of the Kentucky Derby. Pacesetting East Avenue kept finding enough to hold off a late rally from Burnham Square. That pair outfinished the stalking Coal Battle, with Final Gambit fourth and last at every call.
Chunk of Gold was entered in the Matt Winn, but was scratched in favor of a start in the Ohio Derby (G3) on Saturday. The Ethan West trainee drew post 2 in a field of 10. Jockey Jareth Loveberry, who rode him in the Kentucky Derby, retains the mount at Thistledown.
Tiztastic has not raced since the Kentucky Derby but has worked four times since the race. His most recent work, a five-furlong move at Churchill on Sunday, came on the grass. This could herald a return to the lawn, as Tiztastic graduated on the grass at Kentucky Downs in August and won the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile there 10 days later.
| Derby | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sovereignty | 1st Belmont | No works since last race |
| 2 | Journalism | 2nd Belmont | No works since last race |
| 3 | Baeza | 3rd Belmont | No works since last race |
| 4 | Final Gambit | 4th Matt Winn (G3) | No works since last race |
| 5 | Owen Almighty | 5th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| 6 | Burnham Square | 2nd Matt Winn (G3) | No works since last race |
| 7 | Sandman | 3rd Preakness | Worked 4f June 8 at SAR |
| 8 | East Avenue | 1st Matt Winn (G3) | No works since last race |
| 9 | Chunk of Gold | 9th Kentucky Derby | Entered Sat. in Ohio Derby (G3) |
| 10 | Tiztastic | 10th Kentucky Derby | Worked 5f Sun. at CD |
| 11 | Coal Battle | 3rd Matt Winn (G3) | No works since last race |
| 12 | Luxor Cafe | 12th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| 13 | Neoequos | 9th Woody Stephens (G1) | No works since last race |
| 14 | Publisher | 14th Kentucky Derby | Worked 5f Sun. at CD |
| 15 | Citizen Bull | 4th Woody Stephens (G1) | No works since last race |
| 16 | American Promise | 8th Preakness | Worked 4f Sun. at CD |
| 17 | Render Judgment | 17th Kentucky Derby | Worked 4f June 5 at Saratoga |
| 18 | Flying Mohawk | 18th Kentucky Derby | Worked 4f Fri. at CD |
| 19 | Admire Daytona | 19th Kentucky Derby | No works since last race |
| SCR | Grande | 2nd Wood Memorial (G2) | Worked 5f April 25 at KEE |
| SCR | Rodriguez | 4th Belmont | No works since last race |
2025 Preakness Stakes
One Preakness starter who did not run in the Kentucky Derby also contested the Belmont Stakes. Heart of Honor settled at the rear of the field before shying out early and passed a pair of tiring runners late to finish sixth, 15 1/2 lengths behind Sovereignty.
Clever Again, who faded to ninth after setting the early pace in the Preakness, returns to action Saturday in the Ohio Derby. Jose Ortiz returns to the irons for the Steve Asmussen trainee, who won both a maiden special weight and the Hot Springs Stakes before his outing in the Preakness. Clever Again drew post 6 of 10 in Thistledown's marquee race.
| Preakness | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Journalism | 2nd Belmont | No works since last race |
| 2 | Gosger | 2nd Preakness | Worked 4f Thu. at CD |
| 3 | Sandman | 3rd Preakness | Worked 4f June 8 at SAR |
| 4 | Goal Oriented | 4th Preakness | Worked 4f Fri. at Santa Anita |
| 5 | Heart of Honor | 6th Belmont | No works since last race |
| 6 | River Thames | 6th Preakness | Worked 4f Thu. at CD |
| 7 | Pay Billy | 7th Preakness | No works since last race |
| 8 | American Promise | 8th Preakness | Worked 4f Sun. at CD |
| 9 | Clever Again | 9th Preakness | Entered Sat. in Ohio Derby (G3) |
2025 Belmont Stakes
Being less than two weeks out from the Belmont Stakes, none of the runners has returned to action yet. According to a report Sunday at Racing Post, Heart of Honor is taking a break and is expected to point toward a winter campaign at Meydan. However, look for others from the field to return for major races stateside in the coming months.
| Belmont | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sovereignty | 1st Belmont | No works since last race |
| 2 | Journalism | 2nd Belmont | No works since last race |
| 3 | Baeza | 3rd Belmont | No works since last race |
| 4 | Rodriguez | 4th Belmont | No works since last race |
| 5 | Hill Road | 5th Belmont | No works since last race |
| 6 | Heart of Honor | 6th Belmont | No works since last race |
| 7 | Uncaged | 7th Belmont | No works since last race |
| 8 | Crudo | 8th Belmont | No works since last race |