America’s Finest Racing’s Mike Curry affords 5 key takeaways from a busy weekend on the trail to Louisville for the 2025 Kentucky Derby Introduced by Woodford Reserve with three races Feb. 1 that awarded the highest 5 finishers Kentucky Derby qualifying factors on a 20-10-6-4-2 foundation.
CLASS BULL-Y: Any considerations concerning reigning champion 2-year-old male Citizen Bull’s possibilities to proceed to excel as a 3-year-old have been shortly dispelled with a dominant 3 ¾-length win within the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita Park. The Into Mischief colt led from begin to end in defeating extremely regarded stablemate Rodriguez in Citizen Bull’s first begin since profitable the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile introduced by TAA. “He wasn’t cranked up completely, however he’s such a superb horse that he simply caught one other gear,” Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert mentioned of Citizen Bull, who sits atop the Highway to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 60 factors.
DERBY DREAMING: Coach Rick Dutrow Jr. gained the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2008 with Large Brown and final began a Kentucky Derby runner in 2010. After jockey Manny Franco guided Captain Cook dinner to a surging 2 ¼-length win within the $250,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct, the rider had ideas of Louisville on the primary Saturday in Might operating via his thoughts. “When Manny hopped off of that horse, he mentioned, ‘Rick, I’m beginning to dream.’ ” Dutrow mentioned Sunday. “He’s a really relaxed horse, and we’re very fortunate to have him. He’s a nice shock.” Dutrow plans to level the Sensible Joke colt to the $750,000 Wooden Memorial Stakes on April 5 at Aqueduct.
UP TO THE CHALLENGE: Burnham Sq. adopted a nine-length maiden win with a last-to-first victory by 1 ¾ lengths within the $265,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The Liam’s Map gelding has improved in three begins since stretching out from a dash in his profession debut to check his stamina in two-turn races, however the addition of blinkers by coach Ian Wilkes proved the important thing to Burnham Sq.’s ascent. “He’d run away from horses. He wouldn’t run into the dust. … He simply wanted blinkers,” Wilkes defined. “He simply retains getting higher, and that’s what you need. You’ve obtained to get higher as a result of the water will get deeper. You’ve obtained to maintain bettering.”
ONE FAST FILLY: Corridor of Fame coach Richard Mandella appeared to have a bona-fide Longines Kentucky Oaks contender final spring in Kopion, however the best-laid plans in horse racing usually don’t come to fruition. She didn’t make it to Churchill Downs for the Oaks and as a substitute was sidelined for greater than eight months till a flashy comeback win Dec. 26 within the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes Introduced by Don Julio. The Omaha Seashore filly made it two stakes wins in a row Feb. 1 at Santa Anita Park with a 4 ½-length romp within the $196,000 Santa Monica Stakes and appears to be a West Coast standout feminine sprinter for Mandella. “As you’ll be able to see, she has simply grown into an exquisite mare now and I couldn’t ask for extra,” he mentioned of Kopion, who earned a 110 Beyer Pace Determine and a 112 Equibase Pace Determine, each profession bests, for the Santa Monica win.
NO TEST FOR TENMA: Bob Baffert’s proficient 3-year-old filly Tenma coasted to victory when dealing with solely two opponents within the $92,000 Fasig-Tipton Las Virgenes Stakes, defeating stablemate Cipriani by 6 ½ lengths whereas incomes a 99 Equibase Pace Determine and a 92 Beyer Pace Determine. It was hardly a take a look at for the Nyquist filly, however Baffert has been inspired by her maturation since her lone defeat within the Oak Leaf Stakes Introduced by Oak Tree in October 2024 at Santa Anita. Since then, she has emerged as a Longines Kentucky Oaks contender with wins within the Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos in December and the Las Virgenes. “I didn’t really feel like she was mature sufficient to run within the Breeders’ Cup, however now she has come a good distance,” Baffert mentioned. “Coming into this race, she was wanting actually good.”
