Kentucky Derby 2025: Full List of Every Horse's Trainer

Ryan Phillips | May 3, 2025

Trainer Bob Baffert on the backside Friday morning at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. / Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby will take place on Saturday May 3, 2025. A packed field of 21 eligible horses are available to race, and a field of accomplished jockeys and trainers will do whatever they can to earn a victory.

This year, the race features 20 horses and 18 trainers, with one horse waiting in reserve.

Kentucky Derby Trainers for 2025

The 2025 Kentucky Derby has horses trained by 18 trainers, with one trainer entering two. Steven M. Asmussen has entered Publisher and Tiztastic. Bob Baffered had entered Rodriguez and Citizen Bull, but Rodriguez was scratched on Thursday and replaced in the field by Baeza.

POST	HORSE	TRAINER
1	Citizen Bull	Bob Baffert
2	Neoequos	Saffie Joseph Jr.
3	Final Gambit	Brad H. Cox
5	American Promise	D. Wayne Lukas
6	Admire Daytona	Yukihiro Kato
7	Luxor Cafe	Noriyuki Hori
8	Journalism	Michael W. McCarthy
9	Burnham Square	Ian R. Wilkes
11	Flying Mohawk	Whit Beckman
12	East Avenue	Brendan P. Walsh
13	Publisher	Steven M. Asmussen
14	Tiztastic	Steven M. Asmussen
15	Render Judgment	Kenneth G. McPeek
16	Coal Battle	Lonnie Briley
17	Sandman	Mark E. Casse
18	Sovereignty	William I. Mott
19	Chunk Of Gold	Ethan West
20	Owen Almighty	Brian A. Lynch
21	Baeza*	John Shirreffs

*Baeza has stepped in to replace the Bob Baffert-trained Rodriguez after the horse was scratched. Additionally, Grande, trained by Todd Pletcher, was scratched on Friday.

Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas both have horses in the race this year, and they are two of the most successful trainers in the history of the Kentucky Derby.

Lukas has trained four winning horses in 49 starts entering 2025. His last victory came in 1999 when Charismatic won from the 16th post. He also won in 1996 with Grindstone, 1995 with Thunder Gulch and 1988 with Winning Colors.

Baffert is tied for the most derby wins with six. His last win came in 2020 when Authentic finished first. His first victory came in 1997 with Silver Charm, and he also boasts wins in 1998 with Real Quiet, 2002 with War Emblem and the last two Triple Crown winners in American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018.

In 2021, Baffert also had the fastest horse at the Derby as Medina Spirit crossed the line first, but was later disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance. Mandaloun was elevated to first place. For that incident, Baffert was suspended from the Kentucky Derby for three years. This year marks his first year back at the race since serving that suspension.

Last year, Kenneth G. McPeek trained winner Mystik Dan. McPeek will look to repeat this year with entry Render Judgment.

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