The Lecomte Stakes was the most recent Kentucky Derby 2025 points race and Disco Time edged Gun Runner Stakes hero Built by a neck to remain unbeaten in that Grade 3 contest at Fair Grounds on Jan. 18. In this report, I will recap the Lecomte, update the Derby points standings, and share my exceptional 11 Derby contenders.
In other Derby news, the Grade 3, $1 million Southwest Stakes drew a competitive field of 10, and the winner of that event will pick up 20 Derby points. The Southwest is the 10th race at Oaklawn on Saturday, Jan. 25 and Del Mar Futurity (G1) hero Gaming is the 2-1 morning line favorite.
Southwest field: 1 – Gaming (2-1), 2 – Publisher (12-1), 3 – Monet’s Magic (15-1), 4 – Tiztastic (10-1), 5 – Render Judgment (15-1), 6 – Sandman (5-1), 7 – Patch Adams (5-2), 8 – American Promise (6-1), 9 – Bon Temps (30-1), 10 – Speed King (15-1)
Kentucky Derby 2025 Points Race Recaps
Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds (1-18-25): The track was wet and this was a slow race. Innovator stretched out and tried to steal this one, and he had the lead for quite some time. Built was the morning line favorite but Disco Time took the most money and it was a close battle between the those two. Built stalked from post 12 and Disco Time rallied from 10th (shuffled back early), and he was extremely wide in the lane. The wide trip did not matter. Disco Time came rumbling down the lane and beat Built by a neck, and Innovator was a close third. Golden Avenue chased the pace and ended up an even 4th, and was followed by Maximum Promise, Magnitude, Seattle Road, Calling Card, Jolly Samurai, Mobetterthangood, Dapper Moon, Optical, and Tough Catch. Admiral Dennis scratched. He resurfaced two days later in an optional-claiming dirt route at Fair Grounds, and won as the favorite. As for this race, Disco Time ran his record to 3-for-3, and he overcame a less than ideal trip in his first start around two turns. He will run next in the Risen Star (G2) on Feb. 15 or the Rebel (G2) a week later. Fractions: 23.68, 47.91, 1:13.38, 1:40.09, 1:47.07 (1 1/16 miles).
Kentucky Derby 2025 Points Race Results
Iroquois (10-5-3-2-1) – Sept. 14 – Winner: Jonathan’s Way ($4.52)
Champagne (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 5 – Winner: Chancer McPatrick ($3.10)
American Pharoah (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 5 – Citizen Bull ($8.60)
Breeders’ Futurity (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 5 – East Avenue ($7.56)
Street Sense (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 27 – Winner: Sovereignty ($4.86)
BC Juvenile (30-15-9-6-3) – Nov. 1 – Winner: Citizen Bull ($33.80)
Ky Jockey Club (10-5-3-2-1) – Nov. 30 – Winner: First Resort ($14.66)
Remsen (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 7 – Winner: Poster ($11.60)
Springboard Mile (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 13 – Winner: Coal Battle ($15.80)
Los Al Futurity (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 14 – Winner: Journalism ($7.60)
Gun Runner (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 21 – Winner: Built ($9.80)
Jerome (10-5-3-2-1) – Jan. 4 – Winner: Cyclone State ($8.10)
Smarty Jones (10-5-3-2-1) – Jan. 4 – Winner: Coal Battle ($11.00)
Lecomte (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 18 – Winner: Disco Time ($5.80)
Upcoming Derby Points Races Races:
Southwest (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 25
Holy Bull (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 1
Robert Lewis (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 1
Withers (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 1
Sam F. Davis (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 8
Risen Star (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 15
Sunland Derby (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 16
John Battaglia Memorial (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 22
Rebel (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 22
Fountain of Youth (50-25-15-10-5) – March 1
Gotham (50-25-15-10-5) – March 1
San Felipe (50-25-15-10-5) – March 1
Tampa Bay Derby (50-25-15-10-5) – March 8
Virginia Derby (50-25-15-10-5) – March 15
Jeff Ruby Steaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 22
Louisiana Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 22
Arkansas Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 29
Florida Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 29
Blue Grass (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5
SA Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5
UAE Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5
Wood Memorial (100-50-25-15-10) – April 5
Lexington (20-10-6-4-2) – April 12
Top 25 Kentucky Derby 2025 Points Leaders (thru 1-24-25)
Citizen Bull (40 points)
Coal Battle (20 points)
Disco Time (20 points)
Built (20 points)
Gaming (18 points)
Getaway Car (16 points)
Jonathan’s Way (15 points)
Chancer McPatrick (10 points)
East Avenue (10 points)
First Resort (10 points)
Poster (10 points)
Journalism (10 points)
Sovereignty (10 points)
Cyclone State (10 points)
Hill Road (9 points)
Tiztastic (8 points)
Ferocious (8 points)
Innovator (6 points)
Dapper Moon (6 points)
Owen Almighty (5 points)
Tip Top Thomas (5 points)
Speed King (5 points)
Aviator Gui (5 points)
Mo Quality (5 points)
Omaha Omaha (5 points)
Jarrod Horak’s “Exceptional Eleven” Kentucky Derby 2025 Contenders (1-24-25)
1 – Sovereignty (Into Mischief – Crowned, by Bernardini) – Trainer: Bill Mott – Last Ranking (1)
Comments: I liked the looks of his late running maiden win in the Grade 3 Street Sense at Churchill last fall. He is spending the winter in Florida and has worked twice since his lone win. He breezed 3f in 38.00 (11/30) at Payson Park Dec. 24. He was off the worktab for three weeks and breezed a half-mile in 49.20 (2/16) on Jan. 15. It has been nine days since his last work and he needs to get on a more regular schedule in the near future.
2 – Patch Adams (Into Mischief – Well Humored, by Distorted Humor) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (2)
Comments: We will find out how good this one is when he runs in the Grade 3, $1 million Southwest at Oaklawn on Jan. 25. He shows three straight bullet workouts in January at Payson Park and recently named champion rider Flavien Prat will ride him in Arkansas.
3 – Barnes (Into Mischief – All American Dream, by American Pharoah) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (3)
Comments: This one could be the real deal. He did not have a smooth trip and narrowly won his career debut at Churchill, and ran faster and was much more professional in the San Vicente (G2) at seven furlongs second time out. He worked a half-mile in 48.60 (16/69) at Santa Anita on Jan. 20 and will stretch out and run in a points race next time.
4 – East Avenue (Medaglia d’Oro – Dance Music, by Ghostzapper) – Trainer: Brendan Walsh – Last Ranking (4)
Comments: He showed real talent in back-to-back front running wins to begin his career. His Breeders’ Futurity (G1) was strong, and he stumbled at the start and lost all chance as the beaten chalk in the BC Juvenile (G1). He has worked three times at Fair Grounds this month and fired a 5f bullet in 59.40 (1/44) on Jan. 17. He will likely begin his sophomore campaign in the Risen Star (G2) at 1 1/8 miles at Fair Grounds on Feb. 15.
5 – Journalism (Curlin – Mopotism, by Uncle Mo) – Trainer: Michael McCarthy – Last Ranking (5)
Comments: Added distance is seemingly his friend. He sports two route wins and made the grade in the Los Al Futurity (G2). He was targeting the Feb. 1 Robert Lewis (G3) but got sick and that race is no longer an option. He has recovered from his small setback and returned to the worktab with a half-mile move in 49.80 (8/13) at Santa Anita on Jan. 23. He will go next in the San Felipe (G2) on March 1.
6 – Citizen Bull (Into Mischief – No Joke, by Distorted Humor) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (6)
Comments: The 2-year-old champ wired the field in the American Pharoah (G1) and BC Juvenile (G1). He has worked six times at Santa Anita since the BC, most recently logging a 6f bullet in 1:12.00 (1/5) on Jan. 18. He will start his sophomore campaign in the Robert Lewis Stakes (G3) on Feb. 1.
7 – Gaming (Game Winner – So Stylish, by Johannesburg) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (7)
Comments: This one is at a crossroads. He is 2-for-2 sprinting (G1 winner), and 0-for-2 with a pair of underneath finishes in graded routes. His Los Al Futurity (G2) loss as the favorite sure looked like a bounce. He has worked four times since his last and his 5f bullet on Jan. 11 was strong (energetic gallop out). He worked 5f in 1:01.00 (14.69) on Jan. 18 and is the 2-1 morning line favorite in the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn on Jan. 25.
8 – Rodriguez (Authentic – Cayala, by Cherokee Run) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (9)
Comments: His two turn maiden win second time out at Santa Anita on Jan. 4 was fast and strong. His first work since that visually impressive victory was a half-mile move in 47.60 (3/69) on Jan. 20. We will get a better idea of his true talents when he takes on stakes foes in an upcoming Derby points race.
9 – Bullard (Gun Runner – Reve d’Amour, by Warrior’s Reward) – Trainer: Michael McCarthy – Last Ranking (8)
Comments: This one is a talented late running sprinter and that is all we know at this stage. He was excellent in the Bob Hope (G3) and flat in the San Vicente (G2). He worked a half-mile in 47.80 (5/61) at Santa Anita on Jan. 18. Michael McCarthy’s colt will try a route of ground next time.
10 – Romanesque (Practical Joke – Mony’slittlegracie, by Alphabet Soup) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (10)
Comments: He beat his stablemate Rodriguez in his dirt sprint bow, and was second behind his exciting stablemate Barnes in the San Vicente (G2) on Jan. 4. He got back to work with a half-mile move in 48.60 (25/83) at Santa Anita on Jan. 19. A points race route is just around the corner for this one.
11 – Gunmetal (Gun Runner – Classy Dancer, by Speightstown) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (11)
Comments: This $410k yearling purchase was professional in his sprint bow. He chased the pace from an outer post and drove home to win by a length and a quarter at Fair Grounds on Dec. 26. He breezed 4f in 49.60 (21/43) at Payson Park on Jan. 11, and went an identical 49.60 (37/93) on Jan. 19. He goes next in either the Swale Stakes (7f) or the Grade 3 Holy Bull (8.5f) at Gulfstream on Feb. 1.
Next Nine: (12) Chancer McPatrick, (13) Getaway Car, (14) First Resort, (15) Jonathan’s Way, (16) Poster, (17) Madaket Road, (18) Coal Battle, (19) Admiral Dennis, (20) Tappan Street
