Kentucky Derby Update: Saturday Shaping Up to be Key Derby Workday

Apr 18, 2025

It was a relatively calm Friday morning at Churchill Downs, but the action will start to intensify in the lead up to the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I).

Saturday is shaping up to be a pivotal training day at Churchill Downs with several top Kentucky Derby contenders set for their penultimate workouts.

The list includes Fountain of Youth (GII) winner Sovereignty; Louisiana Derby (GI) winner Tiztastic; and Blue Grass Stakes (GI) top two finishers Burnham Square and East Avenue.

Fans can watch all the action on the Kentucky Derby Morning Workouts Show presented by TwinSpires.com, airing at 6:45 a.m. (all times Eastern) on the Kentucky Derby YouTube, Facebook and X channels.

Starting Friday, training hours are 5:15-10 a.m. with an exclusive training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders from 7:15-7:30 a.m.

ADMIRE DAYTONA (JPN) – Junko Kondo’s UAE Derby (GII) winner Admire Daytona (JPN) continued light training Friday at Churchill Downs. With exercise rider Yoshimitsu Miyashita aboard, the son of Drefong walked to the finish line at 7:15 a.m., jogged about a quarter-mile back to the chute, then galloped approximately 1 ¼ miles.

AMERICAN PROMISE – BC Stables’ American Promise continues to train at Oaklawn ahead of his expected arrival at Churchill Downs early next week to Hall of Fame trainer Wayne Lukas’ Barn 44.

BURNHAM SQUARE – Whitham Thoroughbreds’ Blue Grass Stakes winner Burnham Square visited the Churchill Downs starting gate Friday under exercise rider Mark Cutler.

Trainer Ian Wilkes said he is scheduled to work Saturday.

CHUNK OF GOLD – Louisiana Derby runner-up Chunk of Gold galloped Friday at Turfway Park under trainer Ethan West. The colt is slated to breeze Saturday, with a final work planned for next Friday before shipping to Churchill Downs that afternoon.

CITIZEN BULL / MADAKET ROAD / RODRIGUEZ – Trainer Bob Baffert’s trio is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Thursday. They’ll fly via FedEx from Los Angeles to Indianapolis, followed by a van ride to Louisville.

Their flight is tentatively scheduled to land at 1:30 p.m. Baffert will be onsite next Friday.

COAL BATTLE – Norman Stables’ Coal Battle galloped about 1 ½ miles Friday at 6:30 a.m. with assistant trainer/exercise rider Bethany Taylor up.

Trainer Lonnie Briley has been attending the Spring Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale at OBS and is expected to return Sunday.

EAST AVENUE – Godolphin’s Blue Grass runner-up East Avenue galloped 1 ½ miles Friday under Stephen Dolan.

Trainer Brendan Walsh said he’s scheduled to work Saturday.

FINAL GAMBIT / TAPPAN STREET – Trainer Brad Cox and WinStar Farm CEO Elliott Walden were in South Florida on Friday to watch Florida Derby (GI) winner Tappan Street work five furlongs in 1:02.20 at Payson Park.

Tappan Street is expected to van back to Churchill Downs on Saturday and have one local work prior to the Derby, according to Cox.

At Churchill Downs, Juddmonte’s Final Gambit, winner of the Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII), galloped about 1 ½ miles under Joel Osorio. He is scheduled to work Saturday.

FLYING MOHAWK – Flying Mohawk, owned by Two Eight Racing, Berry Family Racing and Kaleta Racing, trained at 7:15 a.m. Friday for trainer Whit Beckman.

Co-owner Jayson Werth appeared Thursday on MLB Central and said, “Let’s get it done this year. You don’t want to be the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, and we definitely will not be the favorite.”

Beckman confirmed Flying Mohawk will work Saturday.

GRANDE – Repole Stable’s Grande arrived at Keeneland from Belmont Park early Friday. Trainer Todd Pletcher said he is scheduled to work next Friday.

JOURNALISM – Santa Anita Derby (GI) winner Journalism is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Tuesday. He will fly from Los Angeles to Indianapolis, then van to Churchill Downs.

His flight is scheduled to land at 1:10 p.m.

LUXOR CAFÉ – Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby invitee Luxor Café, owned by Koichi Nishikawa, is scheduled to arrive Wednesday. The colt will fly from Japan to Chicago, complete a minimum 42-hour USDA quarantine and then van to Churchill Downs.

OWEN ALMIGHTY – Trainer Brian Lynch confirmed Tuesday that Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing’s Owen Almighty has re-entered Kentucky Derby consideration.

The winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) is based at Churchill Downs.

PUBLISHER / TIZTASTIC – Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen’s duo of Publisher and Tiztastic are scheduled to breeze Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.

SANDMAN – Arkansas Derby (GI) winner Sandman galloped about 1 ½ miles Friday under Froylan Garcia for trainer Mark Casse.

Casse said the colt could have one more breeze prior to the Derby.

SOVEREIGNTY – Fountain of Youth (GII) winner Sovereignty galloped at 7:15 a.m. under Guesler Cardona with Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott accompanying on his stable pony.

Mott confirmed Sovereignty would work Saturday.

LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS UPDATE – Ashland Stakes (GI) runner-up Take Charge Milady completed her penultimate work for the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) on Friday at Churchill Downs with a five-furlong move in a sharp :59.40. under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, Take Charge Milady worked in company with stablemate Gowell’s Delight, who is under consideration for the $600,000 Edgewood (GII) presented by Accenture on Oaks Day. The duo posted splits of :11.60, :23.40, and :35.40, then galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.60 and seven furlongs in 1:26.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

Trainer Whit Beckman said that fellow Oaks hopefuls Drexel Hill and Simply Joking are scheduled to work Saturday at Churchill Downs.

KENTUCKY DERBY MORNING WORKS SHOW EXPANDS TO 14 DAYS OFFERING BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACCESS TO DERBY, OAKS TRAINING – The Kentucky Derby Morning Workouts Show presented by TwinSpires.com will air until Thursday, May 1 and offer fans an exclusive look at the final preparations of Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders.

Airing daily from 6:45-7:45 a.m, the one-hour program will be streamed live on the Kentucky Derby Facebook, X and YouTube accounts. The show will highlight the 15-minute exclusive training window from 7:15-7:30 a.m. for horses preparing for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) and the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).

Hosted by Churchill Downs’ expert handicappers Joe Kristufek, Kaitlin Free, Tony Calo and Kevin Kilroy, the show will include insight, commentary and exclusive interviews from notable figures such as former leading rider Rosie Napravnik, Churchill Downs track announcer Travis Stone, TwinSpires.com handicapper James Scully and Churchill Downs racing analyst Megan Burgess.

All Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders are required to be on-site by Saturday, April 26. The show will continue through Thursday, May 1, showcasing every contender’s final training sessions leading into Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks.

For more information, visit www.kentuckyderby.com

COADY PHOTOGRAPHY MEDIA PORTAL – Media members can access photos of Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders here:

https://www.coadyplus.com/gallery/Churchill-Downs-Spring-2025-Media/G0000mObeZBZmx8U/C0000PLb2ljPK8UQ.

Please credit all photos to Coady Media/Churchill Downs.

Churchill Downs Racing Communications/Notes Team

Darren Rogers | Senior Director, Communications & Media Services| (502) 636-4461 (office) | (502) 345-1030 (mobile) | Darren.Rogers@KyDerby.com | @ DerbyMedia

Kevin Kerstein | Ky Racing Communications | (502) 635-4712 (office) |

(610) 420-6971 (mobile) | Kevin.Kerstein@KyDerby.com| @HorseRacingKK

Gary Yunt | Notes Team Captain | (502) 636-4460 (office) |

(303) 981-5629 (mobile) | Gary.Yunt@KyDerby.com|