Saturday’s $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds marks an important shift on the road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. The 1 1/8-mile, Grade 2 stakes race is the first designated as part of the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, and it offers a boost in qualifying points to the 151^st Derby on May 3 to the top five finishers (50-25-15-10-5).

This race has become one of the most productive Derby preps in recent years. Last year’s winner, Sierra Leone, lost the Kentucky Derby by a nose and in the fall won the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic facing older horses, and he received the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male of 2024.

This year’s Risen Star drew a competitive 13-horse field with a couple of marquee headliners making their first starts of 2025 in East Avenue and Jonathan’s Way. The race will be televised live on FanDuel TV and has a scheduled post time of 7:30 p.m. ET. Read on for information about each contender and insights into betting the race.

1. American Promise

Jockey: Keith Asmussen

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

Owner: BC Stables

Career record: 7 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $134,874

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 102

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 0

Pedigree: Justify – Tapella, by Tapit

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

Analysis: This well-bred son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify was a live longshot in his stakes debut Jan. 25, sent off at 21.90-1 odds in the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. He was expected to be part of the early pace in that 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Derby prep but started slowly and then was rushed up to challenge leader and eventual winner Speed King. American Promise faded to finish sixth of nine in the Southwest, and will try another Derby prep Saturday. He had won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Oaklawn prior to the Southwest by leading from start to finish, so expect first-time jockey Keith Asmussen to attempt a similar trip if American Promise gets out of the gate better. He is a longshot to win but could provide some early pressure to projected race favorite East Avenue, who is returning after a 3 ½-month break.

2. Jonathan’s Way

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Trainer: Phil Bauer

Owner: Rigney Racing

Career record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $268,530

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 15

Pedigree: Vekoma – Female Drama, by Indian Charlie

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: All systems appear to be set on “go” for Jonathan’s Way as he makes his 3-year-old debut Saturday. He was one of the top 2-year-olds in training last fall, winning the very first qualifying points race on the Kentucky Derby series, the one-mile Iroquois Stakes in September, by a dominant 2 ¾ lengths. After a seventh-place finish in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA, Jonathan’s Way came back to finish second in the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in November at Churchill Downs. He was bumped twice early in that race but recovered to finish strong, and he’s been training very well at Fair Grounds for Phil Bauer leading up to Saturday’s race. With a top-three finish in the Risen Star, Jonathan’s Way could solidify his position on the Derby trail and also continue to produce strong returns for his sire, Vekoma. Ohio-bred Jonathan’s Way was the leading earner for Vekoma last year, and helped Vekoma lead all first-crop stallions in progeny earnings for 2024.

3. Vassimo

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Team Penney Racing

Career record: 2 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $43,500

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 83

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 0

Pedigree: Nyquist – Bsharpsonata, by Pulpit

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: Vassimo is an intriguing contender in the Risen Star who comes into his stakes debut a perfect 2-for-2 for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. He won his first start in driving fashion, taking a one-turn, one-mile maiden race at Gulfstream Park by one length. Vassimo then stretched out to two turns in a one-mile and 40-yard allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs in mid-January and drew clear to score by 2 ¾ lengths. This bay colt has a very good pedigree for handling two turns as a son of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and out of a dam (mother) in Bsharpsonata who won six stakes races and earned $595,010. Another plus: jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode Vassimo in both of his prior races, travels from Florida to ride him at Fair Grounds Saturday. If East Avenue and Jonathan’s Way aren’t ready to show their best returning from layoffs, Vassimo has a solid chance to post the Risen Star upset.

4. East Avenue

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Trainer: Brendan Walsh

Owner: Godolphin

Career record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $410,645

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 10

Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro – Dance Music, by Ghostzapper

Color: Bay

Running style: Pacesetter

Analysis: Even though there are several other highly regarded contenders entered in this year’s Risen Star Stakes, East Avenue is the marquee attraction as he returns to the track after a 3 ½-month break. This Godolphin homebred, who is a close relation to 2023 Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish, dominated his opposition in his first two starts as a 2-year-old last summer and fall, including a 5 ¼-length tour de force in the 1 1/16-mile Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in October. Based on those victories, he was sent off as the 9-5 post-time favorite in a very competitive edition of the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA Nov. 1 at Del Mar, and East Avenue lost all chance at winning when he stumbled badly out of the starting gate. That prohibited him from using his biggest weapon – early speed – and he was never a threat in finishing ninth. Now, after plenty of time to rest and develop, he’s back on the Kentucky Derby trail and trainer Brendan Walsh said he is confident that his charge will re-establish himself among the top echelon of Triple Crown contenders. Look for jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard East Avenue in all three of his races last year, to send his mount straight to the early lead Saturday in an attempt to win the Risen Star in gate-to-wire fashion.

New to racing? Let us explain…

Winning “gate-to-wire” means a horse took command of the race as soon as the starting gate opened, controlled the pace throughout the race’s distance, and reached the finish line (or “wire”) ahead of the field.

5. Chunk of Gold

Jockey: Abel Cedillo

Trainer: Ethan West

Owner: Terry Stephens

Career record: 2 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $48,818

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 91

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 0

Pedigree: Preservationist – Play for Gold, by Cairo Prince

Color: Gray or roan

Running style: Closer

Analysis: This colt ships in from Turfway Park in northern Kentucky after two good efforts there and faces a tough assignment in the Risen Star. He won his debut at Turfway by a neck in a six-furlong sprint, and then finished a rallying second when stretched out to two turns in the one-mile Leonatus Stakes in mid-January. Both of those races came on Turfway Park’s all-weather surface, and Chunk of Gold will race on dirt for the first time Saturday. On the positive side, his speed figures are competitive with most of the other horses in the Risen Star, and his pedigree suggests that racing 1 1/8 miles should not be difficult. He’s a wild card in this race with connections who don’t compete at Fair Grounds, and since he’ll probably be overlooked in the betting pools, he’s a good horse to use in trifecta and/or superfecta bets to help boost the payouts.

6. Seattle Road

Jockey: Marcelino Pedroza Jr.

Trainer: Tom Amoss

Owner: Greenwell Thoroughbreds

Career record: 5 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $50,778

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 82

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 0

Pedigree: Quality Road – Seattle Slang, by Tapit

Color: Bay

Running style: Closer

Analysis: Seattle Road is back for a second try in a Kentucky Derby points race after finishing seventh of 13 in the Lecomte Stakes Jan. 18 on this track. He was a 79.70-1 longshot in that 1 1/16-mile race, and raced near the back of the field for most of the race before rallying in the stretch to end up less than four lengths behind winner Disco Time and runner-up Built. The Lecomte was held on a sloppy track and the final time for that race was slow, yet Seattle Road still made up some late ground. Prior to the Lecomte, he won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Fair Grounds by a head, closing strongly from off of the pace. It’s tough to see this colt posting the upset in a tough renewal of the Risen Star, but if the early pace is fast enough, he could pick off some tired runners in the stretch and fill out the superfecta, or less likely, the trifecta at huge odds for New Orleans native Tom Amoss.

7. Septarian

Jockey: Flavien Prat

Trainer: Chad Brown

Owner: Resolute Bloodstock

Career record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $59,916

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 82

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 0

Pedigree: Protonico – Amadeus Melody, by Amadeus Wolf

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: Despite having a pair of recent Eclipse Award-winning connections in his corner (trainer Chad Brown, jockey Flavien Prat), Septarian projects to be a longshot in the Risen Star Stakes. The gelding won both of his races at age 2 last fall in sprints for different connections before being purchased privately by Resolute Bloodstock and transferred to Brown. He finished third in his first race for his new owner and trainer, running behind Guns Loaded and Treaty of Rome in the one-turn, one-mile Mucho Macho Man Stakes Jan. 4 at Gulfstream Park. Septarian earned a low speed figure in that race, and both Guns Loaded and Treaty of Rome disappointed in their subsequent starts coming in Kentucky Derby prep races, with Guns Loaded finishing last of seven in the Holy Bull Stakes and Treaty of Rome checking in ninth of 10 in the Sam F. Davis Stakes. Septarian might be better suited to racing around two turns, which he’ll try for the first time Saturday, and he’ll also be fitted with blinkers to help him focus. Still, based on what he’s shown so far, he’d have to improve by leaps and bounds to have a say in the Risen Star outcome.

New to racing? Let us explain…

Blinkers are cups that are placed on the outside of each eye on a horse prior to a race. They can be cut to different lengths and are used to restrict the horse’s field of vision, which ideally will enable him/her to perform better through improved focus on what is in front of him rather than what is behind.

8. Giocoso

Jockey: Jaime Torres

Trainer: Keith Desormeaux

Owner: Rocker O Ranch

Career record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $164,381

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 98

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 3

Pedigree: Not This Time – Nutcracker Suite, by Fastnet Rock

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Closer

Analysis: Since there’s 13 horses entered in the Risen Star Stakes, it’s a good bet that a few will fly under the radar in the parimutuel pools and carry high odds when the starting gate opens. Giocoso shapes up as an appealing longshot play in this race even though he will be making his first start in more than three months and switching from turf to dirt. The son of good young sire Not This Time made four of his six starts at age 2 on turf, including both of his victories, but he also finished third on dirt in the one-turn, one-mile Iroquois Stakes back in September that was won by Jonathan’s Way. Giocoso finished up his juvenile campaign with a rallying three-quarter-length win in a 1 1/16-mile turf race back in November at Churchill Downs, and he has been training steadily over the past few weeks on dirt at Fair Grounds for locally-based Keith Desormeaux, who won the 2013 Risen Star with a 135.20-1 longshot. Giocoso won’t go off at anywhere near those odds in Saturday’s race, but he’s definitely worth a long look as a contender who could spice up the exacta and trifecta payouts if he handles the move back to a dirt track.

9. Built

Jockey: Luis Saez

Trainer: Wayne Catalano

Owner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners

Career record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $174,204

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 95

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 20

Pedigree: Hard Spun – Sea Garden, by Curlin

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace

Analysis: Built joins East Avenue and Jonathan’s Way as a leading win candidate in the Risen Star Stakes, and he has two clear advantages over that pair: he’s fit and in good form, having raced once in December and once in January, and he’s had success on Fair Grounds’ dirt track. Since shipping to Louisiana late last year, Built won the 1 1/16-mile Gun Runner Stakes leading from start to finish on Dec. 21, and then came from off the pace to just miss winning the Lecomte Stakes at the same track and distance on Jan. 18, finishing a neck behind fellow closer Disco Time. Trainer Wayne Catalano told Daily Racing Form that he and owner Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners decided that Built was training so well they’d run him back in the Risen Star, and he’ll get the services of jockey Luis Saez for the first time on Saturday. Look for Saez, an excellent pace rider, to position Built near the early leaders, including probable favorite East Avenue. He has a good pedigree for racing a mile and an eighth and will be tough to defeat in this race if he’s indeed at the top of his game as his trainer suggests.

10. Render Judgment

Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

Trainer: Ken McPeek

Owners: Baccari Racing Stable, Dream Walkin Farms, MJM Racing, and Rocket Ship Racing

Career record: 4 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $109,110

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 86

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 4

Pedigree: Blame – Barbara Gordon, by Commissioner

Color: Bay

Running style: Closer/stalker

Analysis: This come-from-behind runner has matched up against several Risen Star opponents in earlier races and hasn’t been embarrassed, yet he’s not exactly been competitive either. In his two prior stakes races, he finished fifth of nine in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs (Jonathan’s Way was second) last fall and third by 9 ½ lengths in the Gun Runner Stakes Dec. 21 at Fair Grounds (won by Built with Magnitude second). Both of those races were held at 1 1/16 miles, and Render Judgment’s only win came last fall at the same distance when he defeated American Promise by a half-length. He’s suited to racing 1 1/8 miles and should be rallying in the stretch on Saturday, but he doesn’t appear to have enough late speed to pass enough horses and post the upset for trainer Ken McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., who teamed up last year to win the Kentucky Derby.

11. Jolly Samurai

Jockey: Rene Diaz

Trainer: Danny Pish

Owner: Jake Brown

Career record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $121,696

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 83

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 1

Pedigree: First Samurai – Jolly Good, by Paddy O’Prado

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Closer

Analysis: After making his first four career starts at Remington Park in Oklahoma, this gelding shipped to Fair Grounds for a major class test in the 1 1/16-mile Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 18 and was no threat, finishing ninth of 13. All three of his victories came at sprint distances at Remington, and in his race prior to the Lecomte, he finished a well-defeated fifth in the Remington Springboard Mile Stakes, a Kentucky Derby points prep held around two turns. Based on this form, it’s difficult to see how Jolly Samurai can be a factor in the Risen Star as he’s a come-from-behind runner who appears to prefer sprint distances and will be facing off against quite a few horses that have proven to be faster than he is.

12. Vamos Carlitos

Jockey: Florent Geroux

Trainer: Greg Foley

Owner: Bryan McCrea

Career record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $76,344

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 86

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 0

Pedigree: Catholic Boy – Gabeira, by Medaglia d’Oro

Color: Bay

Running style: Closer

Analysis: Here’s another interesting longshot candidate in the Risen Star Stakes who’ll be making his stakes debut against several more accomplished opponents but has shown encouraging potential in his recent races. Vamos Carlitos won his debut last September in a race originally scheduled for turf and then finished 11^th of 12 in his next start which was held on grass. He made his third start back on dirt in a one-turn, one-mile claiming race at Churchill Downs in late November and rallied to win by three-quarters of a length, and was indeed claimed by a new owner and trainer from that event and sent to Fair Grounds. In his 3-year-old debut, Vamos Carlitos started in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race on dirt Jan. 20 and closed fast to finish three-quarters of a length behind heavy favorite Admiral Dennis. If he can move forward off of that effort, he has an outside chance of finishing in the top three at what should be good odds. Jockey Florent Geroux has won three out of the last 10 editions of the Risen Star Stakes.

New to racing? Let us explain…

Claiming races are races where each horse entered is up for sale at a pre-determined price (in Vamos Carlitos’ case, he was in a $40,000 claiming race, which was the set price for any horse entered). Owners interested in buying a horse in a claiming race notify the racing secretary at the track before the race is run, and if two more owners stake their claim on a particular horse, their names are put on pills that are then placed in a cup for the “shake” and then one is drawn out. All sales are final no matter how the horse runs in the race, but the original owner is entitled to the horse’s winnings as well as the proceeds of the sale.

13. Magnitude

Jockey: Ben Curtis

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds

Career record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $146,165

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 89

Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 5

Pedigree: Not This Time – Rockadelic, by Bernardini

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: Magnitude drew an unfavorable post position in the Risen Star for his running style as he’s done his best when positioned fairly close to the early leaders. He could get caught very wide as the field goes through the first turn, and if he does so, he’ll have to expand more energy than is ideal to secure a ground-saving position once the field straightens out in the backstretch. He’s competed in both of Fair Grounds’ Kentucky Derby preps to date, finishing second by 6 ¾ lengths to Built in the Gun Runner Stakes in late December and then sixth by 2 ¾ lengths in the Lecomte Stakes Jan. 18 (both of those races were held at 1 1/16 miles). Both of Magnitude’s wins came last year at age 2, one at seven furlongs and the other at a mile and a sixteenth, and he was forwardly placed in both of them. He’s competed well enough in five of his six career races but appears to be a cut below the top contenders in the Risen Star, and that’s before one takes into account his challenging post position.