Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: California Burrito

Feb 26, 2025 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Aaron Haberman and Victoria Haberman’s California Burrito earned 20 points on the 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series following his half-length score in the $173,500 John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park on February 25. The Thomas Drury, Jr. trainee went 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta surface in 1:45.98 under the guidance of Irving Moncada.

“He’s been working lights out in the morning,” Moncada said. “I was very confident in him coming into the race. The plan was to be aggressive early to get him into a good spot, and he took me right to the lead. He was doing it very easily on his own most of the race. I’m very impressed with how he battled back down the lane. I think the future is very bright for him. I see no problem with him stretching out in distance from today.”

Baby Max, Maximum Promise, Banks, and Studlydoright rounded out the top five and earned points on a 10-6-4-2 basis.

California Burrito was unveiled on July 20 at Ellis Park and went unplaced in a maiden special weight contest. The son of Army Mule graduated second time out at Churchill Downs on September 27, and followed up his win with a good second-place result while facing allowance runners beneath the Twin Spires. The bay preceded his first stakes score with a big allowance triumph at Turfway on January 24, and his lifetime line now reads 6-3-1-0, $222,941.

The winner was bred in the Bluegrass State by Westbrook Stables and attracted a closing bid of $60,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select July Yearling Sale. He is the first black-type winner produced from the Hard Spun mare Bluegrass Sunset, who counts herself a half-sister to stakes heroine Partisan Politics. This is the same female line as multiple stakes victress America America.

California Burrito registered a lifetime best 92 Brisnet Speed winner for his Battaglia victory, and he has earned solid Late Pace numbers in his last pair of endeavors, too. The colt is a question mark as far as getting a classic distance, but he graduated beneath the Twin Spires and has some appeal going forward. He could possibly reappear in the $777,000 Jeff Ruby S. (G3) on the grounds on March 22.