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By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs is almost here. Months of prep races have produced a strong field for Saturday's 151st edition of the ''Run for the Roses.'' This is my 12th year handicapping the Kentucky Derby on Unlocking Winners. My Derby record stands at 11-4-1-0 ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) is barely more than one week away. Post positions will be drawn on Saturday, after which we can start finalizing our betting strategies. Journalism is expected to start as a clear favorite in the Kentucky Derby, and I'm confident he'll prevail on the ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The Road to the Kentucky Derby is complete, and the field is coming into focus for the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1). It's time to ponder an annual handicapping question: how fast a pace will unfold in the Run for the Roses? As the old saying goes, pace makes the race, and that's ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Seven months after it began, the 2024-2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby concludes on Saturday with the running of the $400,000 Lexington (G3) at Keeneland. The 1 1/16-mile race is unlikely to produce a Kentucky Derby (G1) starter, but we could certainly see a Preakness (G1) contender ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Arguably the most wide-open Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier taking place this Saturday (barring a postponement due to heavy rain) is the $1.25 million Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland. The seven-horse field is small in size, but quality runs deep. Four of the entrants have won ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman Five weeks out from the Kentucky Derby (G1), two pivotal prep races are on the agenda. The $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park and the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park have both drawn promising fields. We'll analyze both in this week's edition of ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman A 10-horse field has assembled for Saturday's $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds. The 1 3/16-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier has churned out a bevy of top-three Kentucky Derby (G1) finishers over the past 15 years, including winners Country House and ...

By J. Keeler Johnson (''Keelerman'') Twitter: @J_Keelerman The $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs has undergone a few transformations through its history. It started out as a 1 1/4-mile turf race. It shortened to 1 1/8 miles and moved to Laurel Park for three runnings as the Commonwealth Derby. Then it returned to Colonial Downs as ...