The biggest of the 2025 Kentucky Derby preps to date takes place Saturday in New Orleans, one week after the city hosted Super Bowl LIX. The $500,000 Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes stretches hopefuls to 1-1/8 miles and is the final local tuneup for the Louisiana Derby next month. It’s the first 50-point prep in this year’s Kentucky Derby points chase (50-25-15-10-5), almost guaranteeing a berth into the Run for the Roses. Last year’s winner, Sierra Leone, finished second in the Kentucky Derby and would go on to earn Horse of the Year honors after a Breeders’ Cup Classic score.
Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet can enjoy up to a $10 money-back special on win bets in the Risen Star Stakes – as well as Sunday’s Sunland Derby – if their selection finishes second or third.
#1-AMERICAN PROMISE: $750,000 Justify colt has an Oaklawn wet-track maiden win from 7 starts and exits a seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 Southwest. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ 3 Risen Star wins (most recently Bravazo in 2018) are tied for the most all-time.
#2-JONATHAN’S WAY: Churchill’s Grade 3 Iroquois winner didn’t fire in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, but bounced back with a decent second as the 4-5 favorite in CD’s Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club. He’s had 6 perfectly spaced local works at Fair Grounds with a bullet 2 weeks out from the Risen Star. Top meet pilot Jose Ortiz takes over for the first time on the Phil Bauer trainee.
#3-VASSIMO: Unbeaten Nyquist colt steps into his first stakes off Gulfstream and Tampa maiden and allowance victories. Trainer Todd Pletcher’s 3 Risen Star wins (most recently Intense Holiday in 2014) are tied for the most all-time. Irad Ortiz Jr. travels from Gulfstream to stick in the saddle.
#4-EAST AVENUE (pictured): Sensational Kentucky 2-year-old stumbled badly at the break of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and never picked up a hoof. Trainer Brendan Walsh has had him all winter at Fair Grounds with this race in mind with 6 perfectly spaced workouts for the return. Regular rider Tyler Gaffalione is in from Gulfstream to pilot the speedy son of Medaglia d’Oro.
#5-CHUNK OF GOLD: $2,500 bargain buy exits the Turfway synthetics for his first dirt foray and a big rise in class. Debut winner in restricted maiden company and then rallied for second in the Leonatus Stakes in his first try around 2 turns. Abel Cedillo is in from Turfway to ride for Ethan West.
#6-SEATTLE ROAD: No threat seventh in the Lecomte Stakes at 79-1 from a difficult 13 post while passing some tired rivals. Owns a local maiden win among 5 starts, but has been out of the money 3 times. Tom Amoss notched his lone Risen Star win with Fly Cry in 1994.
#7-SEPTARIAN: Private purchase after wins at Charles Town and Laurel was a respectable third at Gulfstream Park in his first try for new connections. Trainer Chad Brown looks for back-to-back Risen Star victories after Sierra Leone a year ago. He could join Ron Warren (1980-’81) and Brad Cox (2020-’21) as the only to saddle consecutive winners of this race. Note that his 2 Mucho Macho Man conquerors, Guns Loaded and Treaty of Rome, have returned to finish off the board in the Holy Bull and Sam F. Davis in recent weeks.
#8-GIOCOSO: Trainer Keith Desormeaux pulled off a massive Risen Star upset in 2013 with -135-1 shot Ive Struck a Nerve. This one wouldn’t be quite so stark, but he’s 4: 2-1-0 on turf and 2: 0-0-1 on the dirt to date. Not This Time colt was third in the Iroquois at Churchill to Risen Star return rival Jonathan’s Way, beaten 7 lengths.
#9-BUILT: One of only 2 horses to tackle all 3 Louisiana Derby preps, he won the Gun Runner in December and was a strong second in the Grade 3 Lecomte while overcoming post 12 of 13. Son of Hard Spun, the 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up who won his only Fair Grounds start in that year’s Lecomte. Jockey Luis Saez comes in from Florida to ride the Wayne Catalano trainee for the first time.
#10-RENDER JUDGMENT: Distant third to Risen Star rival Built in the Gun Runner Stakes, he’s had a stop-and-start workout tab since. Two drills back since a 20-day gap in January’s works. Trainer Kenny McPeek won the 2002 Risen Star with Repent. He and his 2024 Kentucky Derby-winning pilot Brian Hernandez Jr. team again on this son of Blame.
#11-JOLLY SAMURAI: Remington Park’s Kip Deville and Clever Trevor Stakes winner has lost 2 straight since opening his career 3-for-3. First Samurai gelding will be a big price after finishing ninth in the Lecomte at 69-1. Danny Pish trains the $8,000 purchase who has bagged $121K-plus.
#12-VAMOS CARLITOS: $40,000 claim at Churchill in November has won 2 of 4 starts and makes his first stakes bid. New trainer Greg Foley got a rallying second out of him at Fair Grounds in a Jan. 20 allowance behind highly regarded Admiral Dennis. Jockey Florent Geroux won the Risen Star in both 2020 and 2021.
#13-MAGNITUDE: Joins Built as the only horses this year to compete in all 3 Louisiana Derby preps. Second to that rival in the Gun Runner, but regressed to sixth after a troubled start in the Lecomte. Winless in 3 stakes, including last fall’s Iroquois behind Jonathan’s Way. Trainer Steve Asmussen’s 3 Risen Star wins (most recently Epicenter in 2022) are tied for the most all-time. He was a narrow runner-up last year with Track Phantom.
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