Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Burnham Square

Feb 04, 2025 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Whitham Thoroughbreds' homebred Burnham Square picked up 20 points on the 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series after rallying to a 1 3/4-length victory in the $250,000 Holy Bull S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 1. The Ian Wilkes trainee clocked 1 1/16 miles on the fast main surface in 1:43.60 with Edgard Zayas in the stirrups.

'I feel like he was a little worked up before the race, and he was kind of a little nervous,' Zayas said. 'He kind of broke out of there a little slow. I had to go into plan B. I dropped into the rail and just let him do his thing. He doesn't get tired, has a really good stride, steady. Once I was closing around the quarter pole, I knew I had a really good shot of winning.'

Tappan Street, Burning Glory, Ferocious, and He’s Not Joking rounded out the top five and earned qualifying points on a 10-6-4-2 basis, respectively.

Burnham Square wins the G3 Holy Bull! 🌹 @IanWilkesRacing pic.twitter.com/v7tqk73OC0

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 1, 2025

Burnham Square was unveiled on Oct. 26 at Keeneland in a $150,000 maiden claiming contest at six furlongs and finished a fast-closing. In his second assignment, he ran well from off the pace once again to finish a close third at Churchill Downs in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight tilt on Nov. 30. In his two-year-old finale at Gulfstream Park, he led at every call to graduate by nine lengths in his initial run since being equipped with blinkers. His lifetime line now reads 4-2-1-1, $202,330.

Burnham Square is the first black-type winner produced from the Scat Daddy mare Linda, who won the 2016 Mrs. Revere S. (G2). This is the same female line as five-time graded stakes heroine Listening, who captured both the 1996 Hollywood Oaks (G1) and 1997 Milady H. (G1), as well as champion sprinter Lost in the Fog.

Burnham Square has registered progressive Brisnet Speed figures of 80-89-94-101 from his quartet of lifetime races to date, and his last trio of Late Pace numbers (97-94-100) suggest that he will be able to handle additional distance going forward.

Burnham Square is possible for the Fountain of Youth S. (G2) at Gulfstream on March 1, according to his connections.