Burnham Square gets up late in Blue Grass, jumps to top of Kentucky Derby leaderboard

Apr 08, 2025 James Scully

Burnham Square wins the Blue Grass. (Photo by Coady Media / Credit to Kurtis Coady)

Whitham Thoroughbreds’ homebred Burnham Square will bring a late kick to the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 3, securing his spot in a projected 20-horse field with a last-to-first rally in Tuesday’s $1.25 million Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland. Trained by Ian Wilkes, the gelding added the services of 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Brian Hernandez and got up in the final strides to edge East Avenue by a nose.

Off as the 4.24 fourth choice, Burnham Square trailed early in a seven-horse field as East Avenue sprinted clear and established opening fractions in :22.95, :46.95, and 1:11.96. Burnham Square began circling rivals on the far turn and cornered widest of all into the stretch, determinedly wearing down the pacesetter in deep stretch to prevail. He completed the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:51.33.

Winner of the Holy Bull (G3) in early February, Burnham Square was exiting a fourth as the favorite in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park on March 1. The son of Liam’s Map entered the Blue Grass in need of points, ranking 24th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 30, and he jumped to first in the standings with the 100-point prize.

The major qualifier in the Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge series also will likely guarantee East Avenue a berth in the Run for the Roses, awarding points on a 50-25-15-10 scale to second-through-fifth.

Burnham Square just solidified his spot in the @KentuckyDerby starting gate with a win in the Blue Grass (G1) @keeneland! 🌹

Trainer: @IanWilkesRacing
Jockey: @b_hernandezjr

🎥 TwinSpires Replay pic.twitter.com/nuflNcnYAy

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 8, 2025

River Thames, the 3-1 second choice following a neck second in the Fountain of Youth, stalked the pace in third and was in with a chance in midstretch, looming a threat between East Avenue and Burnham Square. But he came up a little short in the final sixteenth of a mile, winding up about a length back in the show spot.

It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to late-running Admiral Dennis in fourth, and Render Judgment came next in fifth. Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Owen Almighty and multiple juvenile Grade 1 scorer Chancer McPatrick, the 5-2 favorite, dead-heated for sixth.

After placing in his first two starts last fall, Burnham Square broke his maiden by a widening nine-length margin when adding blinkers in a Gulfstream maiden special weight in late December. His career record now reads 6-3-1-1.

The first stakes winner out of the Grade 2 turf scorer Linda, a daughter of Scat Daddy who recorded all her wins at two turns, Kentucky-bred Burnham Square counts 1983 Kentucky Derby winner Sunny’s Halo and 1973 Triple Crown hero Secretariat as his second and third maternal broodmare sires. His female family is geared toward longer distances.