Kentucky Derby Contender: Burnham Square

Updated profiles, with post positions and track odds for the 20 3-year-olds entered for the 151st running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) at  Churchill Downs is Saturday (May 3).

Kentucky Derby Contender: Burnham Square

Burnham Square. Renee Torbit/Coady Photo.

Late developer "Burnham Square" seems to be peaking at the right time. He didn’t break his maiden until his third start for patient trainer Ian Wilkes, who doesn’t push young horses hard. Wilkes described him as “very green” in his first two races, where he finished second and third. However, lightly raced 3-year-olds can improve dramatically, and his last-to-first surge to win the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass Stakes by a nose with Brian Hernandez, Jr., made the gelding a serious Kentucky Derby contender.

“For a 3-year-old to make such a long run like he did today and be able to run down Grade 1 winners – he’s an exciting horse to move forward with,” said Hernandez, who replaced Edgard Zayas. “He looks like the further he goes, the better he’ll be.”

The breakthrough came after "Burnham Square" ran a dull fourth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes following an impressive win in the Holy Bull Stakes. Two strong workouts suggested he was back in good form.

“The Fountain of Youth, I wasn’t as hard on him as I needed to be,” Wilkes said. “Then I trained him a little harder here because I needed the points.”     

Not anymore. The Blue Grass’ 100 points put "Burnham Square" atop the list of Kentucky Derby qualifiers, and Wilkes is upbeat about his chances on May 3.

“He doesn’t get tired,” he said. “He gets stronger at the finish.”

Kentucky Derby Betting Advice

"Burnham Square" gives every sign that he can handle 1¼ miles, the No. 1 prerequisite for a Kentucky Derby contender. He should be an overlay with Journalism and Sovereignty, taking lots of money.

Contender Information Card

  • Post position: 9
  • Odds: 12-1
  • Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr.
  • Trainer: Ian Wilkes
  • Owner: Whitham Thoroughbreds
  • Career record: 6-3-1-1
  • Career earnings: $927,425
  • Last race: Blue Grass Stakes (G1), April 8, 1st
  • Kentucky Derby points: 130 (1st)
  • Top Equibase speed figure: 104
  • Pedigree: Liam’s Map-Linda, by Scat Daddy
  • Color: Bay
  • Running style: Closer
  • Notes: Hernandez and Wilkes took the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Classic with Fort Larned. They also collaborated with multiple-stakes winner McCraken, who finished eighth in the 2017 Kentucky Derby for the Whitham family, which owns "Burnham Square" … Hernandez will try to become the first rider to win the Derby in consecutive years since fellow Cajun Calvin Borel in 2010 … Wilkes, a transplanted Australian, helped his mentor, Carl Nafzger, develop 1990 Derby hero Unbridled.
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