Triple Crown tracker: Updates on 11 from 2025 classics
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
The marquee race Saturday was the Grade 1 Oaklawn Handicap, featuring the first battle between Sovereignty and Journalism since the 2025 Belmont Stakes. The race was a throwdown between the top contenders, though in the end, 7-year-old White Abarrio got the best of both of his younger foes, kicking clear to win by two lengths over Sovereignty. Journalism was in the mix for much of the race despite acting up in the gate, but he flattened a bit late and finished third, 3 1/4 lengths behind White Abarrio. Another 2025 Kentucky Derby alumnus, Publisher, was fourth. He came into the race on a three-win streak but finished six lengths behind Journalism.
Burnham Square's runner-up finish behind Wimbledon Hawkeye in the Nashville Derby (G3) last August marked him as a promising turf horse, and he built on that in blockbuster fashion Saturday in the Elkhorn (G2) at Keeneland. Bet down to 6-5 favoritism in a competitive-looking field of 11, Burnham Square chased midfield for most of the 1 1/2-mile race before unleashing a devastating stretch kick, rolling clear to win by 9 1/2 lengths over Desvio, who had won the Sycamore (G2) over the same course and distance last fall.
Three others from the 2025 Kentucky Derby field raced in allowance company. Flying Mohawk bounced back from a sixth-place finish in his previous start at Fair Grounds, digging in late to win a third-level allowance on the Keeneland grass Thursday. Tiztastic, racing for the first time since a 10th-place finish in the Nashville Derby, was eighth in that same race. American Promise, racing for the first time since the Preakness and for the first time since moving to the Steve Asmussen barn from the late D. Wayne Lukas, did not find a closing kick in a second-level allowance at Oaklawn on April 9 and finished sixth of seven.
| Derby | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sovereignty | 2nd Oaklawn Handicap (G2) | No works since last race |
| 2 | Journalism | 3rd Oaklawn Handicap (G2) | No works since last race |
| 3 | Baeza | 6th Breeders' Cup Classic | Worked 5f Tue. at PAY |
| 4 | Final Gambit | 2nd Last Hurrah | Worked 4f Jan. 17 at TP |
| 5 | Owen Almighty | 7th Army Mule | Worked 5f Sat. at CD |
| 6 | Burnham Square | 1st Elkhorn (G2) | No works since last race |
| 7 | Sandman | 6th Razorback Handicap (G3) | No works since last race |
| 8 | East Avenue | 2nd Oaklawn Mile (G3) | Worked 5f Sat. at KEE |
| 9 | Chunk of Gold | 3rd Clark (G2) | Worked 5f Jan 3 at TP |
| 10 | Tiztastic | 8th Alw (Thu. at KEE) | No works since last race |
| 11 | Coal Battle | 2nd Indiana Derby (G3) | Worked 5f Fri. at OP |
| 12 | Luxor Cafe | 5th Saudi Cup (G1) | No works since last race |
| 13 | Neoequos | 3rd, Oaklawn Mile (G3) | No works since last race |
| 14 | Publisher | 4th Oaklawn Handicap (G2) | No works since last race |
| 15 | Citizen Bull | 2nd Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Stands for $45,000 at Ashford |
| 16 | American Promise | 6th Alw OC (Apr. 9 at OP) | Worked 4f Sun. at OP |
| 17 | Render Judgment | 2nd Alw (March 28 at OP) | No works since last race |
| 18 | Flying Mohawk | 1st Alw (Thu. at KEE) | No works since last race |
| 19 | Admire Daytona | 14th Musashino (G3) | No works since last race |
| SCR | Grande | 1st Ghostzapper (G3) | Worked 4f Thu. at PBD |
| SCR | Rodriguez | 4th Belmont | Worked 4f July 14 at SA |
2025 Preakness Stakes
In addition to Journalism and American Promise, three other horses from the 2025 Preakness field saw recent action. Pay Billy, coming off an allowance win in February, stepped back up to stakes company for the Native Dancer at Laurel on April 4. He sat off a pace battle and made an early run in the 1 1/8-mile race but flattened out late and crossed the wire fourth, nine lengths behind winner Wild Nine.
Heart of Honor pressed on to the Dubai World Cup (G1) after running off the board as the favorite in his final prep. He came away slowly and ultimately finished seventh behind Magnitude, never looking like a threat to the winner.
Clever Again returned to the races April 9 in an allowance at Keeneland for his first start since the Gun Runner Stakes at Kentucky Downs in September. He tracked in range through the early stages of the turf mile but weakened to finish eighth, 7 1/2 lengths behind Reagan's Wit.
| Preakness | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Journalism | 3rd Oaklawn Handicap (G2) | No works since last race |
| 2 | Gosger | 2nd Alw OC (Sat. at GP) | Worked 5f Thu. at CD |
| 3 | Sandman | 6th Razorback Handicap (G3) | No works since last race |
| 4 | Goal Oriented | 1st Malibu (G1) | Stands for $30,000 at Spendthrift |
| 5 | Heart of Honor | 7th Dubai World Cup | No works since last race |
| 6 | River Thames | 6th Preakness | Worked 4f Jan. 11 on PBD |
| 7 | Pay Billy | 4th Native Dancer | No works since last race |
| 8 | American Promise | 6th Alw OC (April 9 at OP) | Worked 4f Sun. at OP |
| 9 | Clever Again | 8th Alw (April 9 at KEE) | No works since last race |
2025 Belmont Stakes
All three horses from the 2025 Belmont field who raced recently also were in other Triple Crown races last year: Sovereignty, Journalism and Heart of Honor. Baeza is also actively on the tab at Payson Park, a regular worker since late March.
| Belmont | Horse | Last race | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sovereignty | 2nd Oaklawn Handicap (G2) | No works since last race |
| 2 | Journalism | 3rd Oaklawn Handicap (G2) | No works since last race |
| 3 | Baeza | 6th Breeders' Cup Classic | Worked 5f Tue. at PAY |
| 4 | Rodriguez | 4th Belmont | Worked 4f July 14 at SA |
| 5 | Hill Road | 10th Breeders' Cup Turf | Worked 3f March 20 at PAY |
| 6 | Heart of Honor | 7th Dubai World Cup | No works since last race |
| 7 | Uncaged | 5th Alw OC (Oct. 24 at KEE) | Sold to race in Kuwait |
| 8 | Crudo | 2nd Dwyer | Sold to race in Saudi Arabia |