The Florida Derby has worked better than any other prep race in producing Kentucky Derby winners.
Twenty-five horses in the Florida Derby beginning in 1953 won the Run for the Roses, including 15 that won both races.
The most recent Florida Derby-Kentucky Derby winner was Always Dreaming in 2017, the sixth to do so in the 2000s.
The others are Monarchos in 2001, Barbaro in 2006, Big Brown in 2008, Orb in 2013, and Nyquist in 2016.
In 2023, Mage finished second in the Florida Derby and won the Kentucky Derby at odds of 15-1.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert sends out just his 11th horse in a race at Gulfstream Park since 2003, when Madaket Road ran in the Florida Derby. The colt will be ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who replaces the injured Tyler Gaffalione.
Baffert has fared well in South Florida. He’s won the Pegasus World Cup (G1) three times, the Donn Handicap with Captain Steve, and his first Grade 1 win with Thirty Slews in the 1992 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
He’s 0-for-1 in the Florida Derby – Spielberg finished eighth in 2021.
The Arkansas Derby has produced five Kentucky Derby winners in the 2000s – Mystik Dan (third in 2024), Country House (third in 2019), American Pharoah (won in 2015), Super Saver (second in 2010), and Smarty Jones (won in 2004).
The Japan Road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby ends early Saturday morning with the Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse. A field of 15 3-year-olds is entered, led by Luxor Cafe, who looks to clinch Japan’s invitation to the Derby.
Five weeks before the Derby on May 3, four horses are at Churchill Downs preparing for the race: Tiztastic, Built, John Hancock, and Burnham Square.
Jockey Manny Franco, named to replace injured Jlorida Derby favorite Sovereignty with Junior Alvarado, has not ridden at Gulfstream since the 2019-2020 meet.
Franco had 30 mounts during the Covid-restricted meet, winning with four, including the Florida Derby and Holy Bull (G3) with Tiz the Law and the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) with Mr Freeze.
While the Florida Derby and Arkansas Derby take center stage on Saturday, Withers winner Captain Cook posted a final workout before the Wood Memorial (G2) next Saturday (April 5) at Aqueduct.
Captain Cook, trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., worked 4 furlongs in 49.00 over the Belmont Park training track on March 26 with regular rider Manny Franco aboard. It was the colt’s sixth workout since his Withers win on Feb. 1.
Captain Cook is No. 9 in the latest US Racing 2025 Kentucky Derby Top 10.“It was mostly maintenance. He’s ready so we are just trying to keep him happy and stay out of his way, because we feel like if the Wood were tomorrow, he’d be ready for it, if it’s next week, he’s ready,” said Blake Dutrow, Jr., Rick Dutrow’s nephew and New York-based assistant. “As long as he stays the way he is, we will feel like he has a good shot.”
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
