Kentucky Derby Field Taking Shape

In 4 weeks, twenty of the best 3-year-old thoroughbreds in the U.S. will be entering the starting gate for the 151st edition of the Kentucky Derby. The race will be run at the historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY, on May 3, 2025. The Grade I race will be run at a grueling distance of 1 1/4 miles for a purse of $3,000,000.

The process of identifying the starting field began in the fall of 2024. Over a series of almost 40 prep races in the U.S. or abroad, horses were awarded points based on where they finished in these designated races. With only one prep race remaining (The Lexington Stakes at Keenland), the field for this year's Derby has pretty much come into focus.

Here's a list of the top 25 points earners:

1. Burnham Square - T Ian Wilkes - 130 pts
2. Sandman - T Mark Casse - 129 pts
3. Journalism - T Mike McCarthy - 122.5 pts
4. Rodriguez - T Bob Baffert - 121.25 pts
5. Tiztastic - T Steve Asmussen - 119 pts
6. Tappan Street - T Brad Cox - 110 pts
7. Sovereignty - T Bill Mott - 110 pts
8. Final Gambit - T Brad Cox - 100 pts
9. Coal Battle - T Lonnie Briley - 95 pts
10. Chunk of Gold - T Ethan West - 75 pts
11. Citizen Bull - T Bob Baffert - 71.25 pts
12. Owen Almighty - T Brian Lynch - 65 pts
13. East Avenue - T Brendan Walsh - 60 pts
14. Publisher - T Steve Asmussen - 60 pts
15. American Promise - T Wayne Lukas - 55 pts
16. River Thames - T Todd Pletcher - 50 pts
17. Flood Zone - T Brad Cox - 50 pts
18. Flying Mohawk - T Whit Beckman - 50 pts
19. Grande - T Todd Pletcher - 50 pts
20. Madaket Road - T Bob Baffert - 46 pts
21. Luxor Cafe - T Noriyuki Hori - Japan RTKD
22. Admire Daytona - T Yukihiro Kato - Euro/ Mideast RTKD
23. Heart of Honor - T Jamie Osbourne - Euro/ Mideast RTKD
24. Built - T Wayne Catalano - 45 pts
25. Neoequos - T Saffie Joseph, Jr. - 40 pts

Note: The horses in positions 21-23 are automatic qualifiers and will get a place in the starting gate if their owners so choose to run.

By the time the starting gate is being loaded on the first Saturday of May, horseplayers are expected to have 20 houses on which they can bet. Churchill Downs will be offering a full menu of betting options on the Derby and a card that will have as many as 9 stakes races filled with some of the best racehorses from around the world.

This handicapper is looking at the presumed favorite, Journalism. He ran one race 2-back that towers over anything else that has been run by the rest of the field. If he gets the pace that is expected, look out!