The 2025 Kentucky Derby (branded as the 151st Running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve for sponsorship reasons) was the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. It took place on May 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.[2]
Despite poor weather conditions and a sloppy racing surface, Churchill Downs reported an attendance of 147,406 for the 2025 Derby. The all-sources betting handle on the Derby and the entire racing card set records of $234.4 million and $349 million, respectively.[1]NBC Sports reported an average of 17.7 million viewers across NBC and Peacock for their 25th Kentucky Derby broadcast, the largest television audience for the race since 1989.[6]
The field was drawn on April 26 during the race meeting at Churchill Downs. A field of twenty was drawn to start with one also eligible being no. 21 Baeza. Journalism was installed as the morning line favorite at 3–1 as he drew post no. 8 for the derby. Sovereignty was installed as the 5–1 second choice out of post no. 18. Sandman drew post 17 at odds of 6–1. Burnham Square drew post no. 9 for the derby at odds of 12–1.[7]
On May 1, the connections of Rodriguez announced that their horse would be scratched from the Kentucky Derby. Co-owner Tom Ryan announced in a post on X that the Wood Memorial winner had "a small but slightly sensitive foot bruise" and that he would be withdrawn from the race "out of an abundance of caution." The defection allowed Baeza, runner-up to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby, to draw in to the race.[8] With Flavien Prat named as the primary jockey for Baeza, Luis Saez picked up the mount on Neoequos.[9]
On May 2, veterinarians with the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation scratched Wood Memorial runner-up Grande due to a cracked heel. Owner Mike Repole expressed his displeasure at the decision in a social media post on X. While stating that Grande was recovering from a slight cracked heel during the week, Repole said that follow up X-rays and PET scans on the horse were clean. He added that the team was "baffled and confused" as to the criteria used by the veterinarians to determine who scratches.[10] In an interview with FanDuel TV later that day, Repole suggested that the decision to scratch Grande was made "24 hours too early."[11] The scratch left trainer Todd Pletcher without a Kentucky Derby starter for the first time since 2003.[10]
The start of the Kentucky Derby saw some crowding among horses that broke closer to the rail after Citizen Bull bore out from his inside post position. Sovereignty, who broke from post 16, bobbled after the gate break as Chunk Of Gold came in on him slightly from post 17. As the field settled down going past the stands for the first time, Citizen Bull was ahead of Neoequos, Owen Almighty, American Promise and Japanese invader Admire Daytona. Sovereignty settled in along the rail and was running in 16th, 13+1⁄2 lengths behind Citizen Bull, as the 19 horses entered the backstretch. Journalism was ahead of Sovereignty in 10th place down the backstretch, and both he and Sovereignty made sustained bids as the field entered the final turn. Citizen Bull yielded the lead around the far turn, and Owen Almighty and Neoequos were briefly ahead at the top of the stretch before Sovereignty and Journalism passed them to their outside. Sovereignty and Journalism dueled together until inside the final furlong, when Sovereignty began to draw away. Sovereignty's final margin over Journalism was 1+1⁄2 lengths. Baeza, who drew in from the also eligible list, closed from 15th down the backstretch to finish third. Final Gambit, who ran last until the end of the backstretch, finished in fourth, and Owen Almighty held on to finish fifth.[3][5][13]
Almost one week after the Derby was run, jockey Junior Alvarado was issued a $62,000 fine and a two-day suspension by Churchill Downs stewards for striking Sovereignty's hind quarters with the riding crop two times over the six-strike limit imposed by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. Alvarado has appealed the ruling.[14]
Times:1⁄4 mile – 22.81; 1⁄2 mile – 46.23; 3⁄4 mile – 1:10.78; mile – 1:36.84; final – 2:02.31. Splits for each quarter-mile: (22.81) (23.42) (24.55) (26.06) (25.47)
Note:
↑ Flavien Prat was originally listed as the jockey of #2 Neoequos and #21 Baeza. Prat elected to ride Baeza, which was listed as his first preference.[9]
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