Burnham Square Sits Atop 2025 Kentucky Derby Final Points Total Leaderboard

The final points leaderboard for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby has horse racing fans with the one burning question: How many horses who qualified will choose to run in the prestigious first leg of the Triple Crown?

There is no doubt that the top tier of Burnham Square, Sandman, Journalism and Sovereignty will all take their place in the Run for the Roses. In addition, UAE Derby winner Admire Daytona as well as Japanese-invader Luxor Cafe have each confirmed their intention to run in the Derby.

On Friday, it was announced that Brian Lynch’s Owen Almighty will pass up the Kenucky Derby and instead head to the Pat Day Mile. Later in the day, UAE Derby runner-up Heart of Honor also declined his invitations.

With Owen Almighty and Heart of Honor opting out, Flying Mohawk and Grande both get in. Any further deflections would allow Madaket Road in the field as he sits next up on the points leaderboard.

Updated Road to the #KyDerby Leaderboard as of 4/11 pic.twitter.com/8AtsJZUrez
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 11, 2025

The Top Kentucky Derby Contenders

Burnham Square - The 3-year-old son of Liam’s Map heads into the Kentucky Derby finished as the overall points leader (130) after his impressive last-to-first finish in the Blue Grass Stakes. Ian Wilkes’ has this colt in peak form winning three of his last four starts.

Sandman - The winner of the Arkansas Derby finished second on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 129 points. The son of Tapit has improved in every start, increasing his Equibase Speed Figure in each of his last five starts, capped off with a career-best 104 figure in the Arkansas Derby.

Journalism - This son of Curlin and Mopotism is the likely morning-line favorite for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby based on his fourth consecutive victory in the Santa Anita Derby.

Tappan Street - Brad Cox has a ‘live longshot’ based on his impressive win over Sovereignty in the Florida Derby The son of Into Mischief's biggest issue is limited experience (only three career starts) but still managed to grab the sixth-most Derby points (110).

Sovereignty- Bill Mott will have this talented colt ready to rebound off his runner-up finish in the Florida Derby that snapped a two-race winning streak. The winner of the Fountain of Youth and Street Sense stakes has posted 95+ Equibase Speed figures in three straight starts.

Horse	Points	Trainer	Sire	Record
Burnham Square	130	Ian Wilkes	Liam's Map	6-3-1-1
Sandman	129	Mark Casse	Tapit	8-3-1-2
Journalism	122.5	Michael McCarthy	Curlin	5-4-0-1
Rodriguez	121.25	Bob Baffert	Authentic	5-2-2-1
Tiztastic	119	Steve Asmussen	Tiz the Law	8-3-1-2
Tappan Street	110	Brad Cox	Into Mischief	3-2-1-0
Sovereignty	100	Bill Mott	Into Mischief	5-2-2-0
Final Gambit	95	Brad Cox	Not This Time	4-2-1-1
Coal Battle	75	Lonnie Briley	Coal Front	8-5-0-1
Chunk of Gold	71.25	Ethan West	Preservationist	4-1-3-0
Citizen Bull	60	Bob Baffert	Into Mischief	6-4-0-1
East Avenue	60	Brendan Walsh	Medaglia d'Oro	5-2-1-0
Publisher	55	Steve Asmussen	American Pharoah	7-0-2-3
American Promise	50	D. Wayne Lukas	Justify	9-2-1-0
River Thames	50	Todd Pletcher	Maclean's Music	4-2-1-1
Flood Zone	50	Brad Cox	Frosted	4-2-1-0
Flying Mohawk	50	Whit Beckman	Karakontie	6-2-2-0
Grande	50	Todd Pletcher	Curlin	3-2-1-0
Admire Daytona	Euro	Yukihiro Kato	Drefong	6-2-2-0
Luxor Cafe	Japan	Noriyuki Hori	American Pharoah	6-4-1-0
Madaket Road	46	Bob Baffert	Quality Road	5-1-2-1

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