The road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby is heating up as Gaming, a Grade 1 winner, prepares to compete in the $1 million Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn. This exciting race serves as a crucial Derby prep, offering valuable qualifying points and attracting talented 3-year-old contenders.
Gaming’s Race Day Details
Trainer Bob Baffert is aiming for his seventh Southwest Stakes win with Gaming, a promising Game Winner colt owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. Gaming will break from the rail in the 10-horse field, which will run 1 1/16 miles on Saturday. Jockey Juan Hernández will make the trip from California to ride Gaming.
The Southwest Stakes is scheduled as the 10th race of the day, with a post time of 5:10 p.m. EST. The first race at Oaklawn will begin at 12:25 p.m.
Gaming’s Impressive Record
Gaming already has a strong start on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, ranking fifth in points. He earned 18 points with a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and a third-place result in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). Baffert’s confidence in Gaming’s ability to perform under pressure makes him a top contender.
Key Challengers to Watch
The Southwest Stakes features a competitive field of 10 horses. Here are a few key names:
- Patch Adams: Trained by Brad Cox, this talented colt impressed with a 10 1/2-length maiden win at Churchill Downs. He will break from post 7 with jockey Flavien Prat.
- Sandman: A Mark Casse-trained runner who recently won a two-turn mile at Oaklawn. Cristian Torres will ride him from post 6.
- Mystik Dan: A nod to history, Mystik Dan is only the second horse to win both the Southwest Stakes and the Kentucky Derby, with Smarty Jones achieving the feat 20 years ago.
Importance of the Southwest Stakes
The Southwest Stakes isn’t just another race; it’s a significant step on the road to the Kentucky Derby. The top five finishers will earn qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale. This makes the stakes high for all the contenders as they aim to secure their spots in the Derby lineup.
The 2025 Southwest Stakes promises to deliver thrilling competition as Gaming and other top 3-year-olds vie for Derby points and a share of the $1 million purse. With a strong lineup of rising stars, this race is set to shape the Kentucky Derby field. Fans and bettors alike won’t want to miss the action at Oaklawn this Saturday.
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