Kentucky Derby alum Final Gambit gets back on turf in Belmont Derby
A pair of Kentucky Derby alumni were supposed to make their returns to turf Friday at Saratoga. Final Gambit and Flying Mohawk earned their way into the Derby finishing one-two in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks over Turfway Park’s synthetic surface. Final Gambit debuted on turf and Flying Mohawk made his first five starts on turf. Both were supposed to get back on turf in Friday’s Grade 1 $750,000 Belmont Derby but Flying Mohawk will scratch.
According to co-owner Jayson Werth on X, Flying Mohawk underwent emergency colic surgery Wednesday morning.
Update from the barn: Flying Mohawk had emergency colic surgery this morning. He’s recovering well thanks to Whit’s team but will scratch from the Belmont Derby. @IconRacingLFG
— Jayson Werth (@twoeight_racing) July 2, 2025
Traditionally run at Belmont Park, the Belmont Derby is part of the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga, while Belmont undergoes renovations. Racing headed north from Aqueduct to Saratoga for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in early June and the traditional meet at Saratoga begins July 10.
The Belmont Derby, run at 1 1/8 miles over the outer turf course, drew a solid field of eight 3-year-olds. Final Gambit raced twice at Turfway before the Jeff Ruby and made a wide sweeping move to win that race. The early fractions of that race were the quickest in the history of the race, setting it up perfectly for Final Gambit’s closing kick.
Final Gambit did show some late interest in the Derby, displaying his typical wide rally but the top three finishers were clearly superior. Final Gambit came back to run last of four in the Matt Winn on dirt June 8 and didn’t get any pace to close into due to the small field.
Friday, Flaiven Prat, aboard in the Matt Winn, will retain the mount for trainer Brad Cox. The pair will break from post 6 as the 5-2 morning-line favorite.
Two Europeans will also start Friday, one making his North American debut and the other with solid North American form already. Luther, for trainer Charlie Fellows with Kieran Shoemark named to ride, ships in off a disappointing try in the French Derby behind solid winner Camille Pissaro. Two back, Luther was beaten by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Henri Matisse in another French Grade 1. Henri Matisse was crushed by Field of Gold in the St. James’s Palace at Royal Ascot in June. New Century ran some solid juvenile races for trainer Andrew Balding last year and shipped to Woodbine to capture the Grade 1 Summer and then finish fourth in the BC Juvenile Turf. Shipped back to Europe, he was beaten by Field of Gold in the Group 3 Craven and then sent back stateside and transferred to Brendan Walsh. In his first start for Walsh, New Century ran a solid third in the Grade 1 American Turf at Churchill and will get Oisin Murphy back aboard Friday as the 3-1 second choice on the morning line.
Test Score was second in the American Turf off a win in the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland. Manny Franco gets back aboard for trainer Graham Motion. World Beater brings a two-race win streak into Friday, having won a maiden and then the Audubon at Churchill. Jamie Torres rides for Riley Mott. Early Adopter, for turf king Chad Brown, was fifth as the favorite in the Audubon and gets a rider change to Jose Ortiz Friday. Brown had a potential heavy favorite for this race in Grade 1 winner Zulu Kingdom but decided to enter him one race earlier in the Grade 3 Manila, where he is the 6-5 morning-line favorite.
Perhaps the most intriguing entrant Friday is Tank, who brings in a three-race win streak and breaks from the rail under Luis Saez for trainer Carlos David. Tank has raced exclusively in Florida, with nine runs at Gulfstream and one at Tampa Bay Downs. He’s rattled off three straight minor stakes wins but looks like the only speed horse Friday. He’s improving but gets a major class test Friday.
Classic Causeway was the only Kentucky Derby runner to win this race, upsetting the 2022 edition with a front-running score. Europeans have won it twice, though both were trained by Aidan O’Brien. This will also be the fourth racetrack that has hosted this race. Originally called the Jamaica Handicap and run at Jamaica Race Course, in Queens, the race was run on dirt at various distances. Jamaica closed and the race shifted to Aqueduct in 1960. Switched to turf in 1994 and moved to Belmont, the race would become a Grade 1 in 2009 and renamed the Belmont Derby in 2013. Friday, 96 years since it was first run, the Belmont Derby makes its debut at Saratoga.
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An avid horse racing fan and bettor, Michael Smith has developed a career in horse racing media as an editor and writer. A regular at Saratoga Race Course, Michael mainly covers New York racing but follows various other racing across the country and world.