Field of Seven Set for Saturday’s 101st Running of the $1.25 Million Toyota Blue Grass

LEXINGTON, KY – WinStar Farm, CHC Inc., Pantofel Stable and Wachtel Stable’s River Thames is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in a field of seven 3-year-olds entered Tuesday for Saturday’s 101st running of the $1.25 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1).

Contested at 1⅛ miles over the main track, the Toyota Blue Grass is the 10th race on Saturday’s 11-race program with a 5:52 p.m. ET post time. The race offers 200 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the first- through fifth-place finishers. The 151st running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1), to be run May 3 at Churchill Downs, is limited to the top 20 point earners and invitees.

River Thames, who is two for three lifetime and runner-up in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park on March 1 in his most recent start, is trained by four-time Toyota Blue Grass winner Todd Pletcher.

Pletcher’s previous winners were Bandini (2005), Monba (2008), Carpe Diem (2015) and Tapit Trice (2023). Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call on River Thames from post 1.

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Co-second choices on the morning line at 3-1 are Godolphin’s East Avenue and Flying Dutchmen’s Owen Almighty.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, East Avenue was a daylight winner of last fall’s Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1). He seeks to rebound from a 10th-place finish in the Risen Star (G2) on Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds in his 2025 debut.

Five horses have completed a Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity- Toyota Blue Grass double with the most recent being Essential Quality in 2020-2021.

Luan Machado has the mount from post position 5, the same spot East Avenue exited in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. 

“I’m happy with that,” Walsh said of the post.

Owen Almighty, fresh off his victory in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G3) on March 8, is trained by Brian Lynch. The colt has won three of six races with runner-up finishes in the Iroquois (G3) and the Sam F. Davis (L). Jose Ortiz, who won the 2018 Toyota Blue Grass on Good Magic, has the mount from post 4.

“The distance is always a concern,” Lynch said. “I think he will relish it (a possible off track), and that is a thing that might be in his favor.”

The fourth choice on the line at 7-2 is Flanagan Racing’s Chancer McPatrick.

Trained by three-time Toyota Blue Grass winner Chad Brown, Chancer McPatrick comes into Saturday’s race off a runner-up finish in the Tampa Bay Derby. Chancer McPatrick, who arrived at Keeneland Monday morning from South Florida, has won three of five races with Grade 1 victories in the Hopeful and the Champagne.

Flavien Prat, who won the 2022 Toyota Blue Grass on Zandon for Brown, has the call on Chancer McPatrick and will exit post 6.

“Ideal. Very happy with it,” Brown said about the post.

Brown’s other Toyota Blue Grass winners are Good Magic and Sierra Leone in 2024. Only three trainers have won the Blue Grass in consecutive years: LeRoy Jolley (1976-1977), Syl Veitch (1950-1951) and Ben Jones (1947-1948).

Whitham Thoroughbreds’ homebred Burnham Square, winner of the Holy Bull (G3) on Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park, is the fifth choice on the morning line at 4-1.

Trained by Ian Wilkes, Burnham Square enters Saturday’s race off a fourth-place finish in the Fountain of Youth. Brian Hernandez Jr., who won the 2020 running of the Toyota Blue Grass on Art Collector, has the mount from post 3.

“It’s all good,” Wilkes said. “I’m in the starting gate.”

Two other trainers will seek to add to their victory ledger in the Toyota Blue Grass. Two-time winner Kenny McPeek will saddle Render Judgment (20-1) and Brad Cox will send out Admiral Dennis (20-1).

Baccari Racing Stable, Dream Walkin Farms, MJM Racing and Rocket Ship Racing’s Render Judgment, runner-up in the recent Virginia Derby, is McPeek’s hope for a third victory in the Toyota Blue Grass to go with Harlan’s Holiday (2002) and Java’s War (2013).

Sheldon Russell has the call on Render Judgment from post 2.

Albaugh Family Stables’ Admiral Dennis, sixth in the Rebel (G2) in his most recent start, will exit post 7 under Luis Saez.

Saez and Cox teamed up with Essential Quality to win the 2021 Toyota Blue Grass. Saez also won in 2016 on Brody’s Cause and in 2023 on Tapit Trice.

The field for the Toyota Blue Grass, with riders and morning-line odds from the rail out, is: