BloodHorse news editor Byron King presents his Derby Dozen with a review of leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 3.
Standout filly Good Cheer did not disappoint in her 3-year-old debut, winning by 6 ¼ lengths in the Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes Saturday, Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds for trainer Brad Cox.
Each week, members of the national media vote on the nation's top contenders on the Triple Crown trail in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll.
The all-weather runners will get their chance to accrue Kentucky Derby qualifying points Saturday with the running of the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park. Contested on the all-weather Tapeta Footings surface, the stakes attracted an overflow field of 14 and will award the top five finishers Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale.
This feature provides a capsule look at three horses who are heating up on the Triple Crown trail and three horses whose chances for the 2025 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve are not quite as strong as they previously were.
In the third edition of this blog for the 2025 run for the roses, the focus is on the changing landscape of the 3-year-old male division after the last two weeks of action.
.jpg?itok=3YhVV66g&c=60e6b40270999cac81d323de0df593b6 "NTRA 3-year-old Triple Crown poll, Citizen Bull, 2025 Kentucky Derby")
