2025 Kentucky Derby Horse Profile & Betting Outlook: Coal Battle

After ripping off four consecutive wins, 2025 Kentucky Derby contender Coal Battle will seek to rebound from his third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby.

In this installment of my Respected Money Kentucky Derby horse betting profiles, we will analyze the only entry for 72-year-old trainer Lonnie Briley.

Kentucky Derby Contenders: Coal Battle

POST NUMBER: 16

ODDS: 30-1

JOCKEY: Juan Vargas / TRAINER: Lonnie Briley

RECORD: 8 starts: 5-0-1

TOP EQUIBASE SPEED FIGURE: 104

RUNNING STYLE: Closer / Mid-Pack

CAREER EARNINGS: $1,188,875

This son of Coal Front and Wolfblade heads into the 151st Run for the Roses as a horse who may struggle to handle the distance needed to win the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Coal Battle Breeding

Sire: Coal Front, who won 8 of 13 career races, never won a Grade 1 Stakes but collected two Grade 2 and three Grade 3 scores.

Dam: Wolfblade, a daughter of Midshipman, found documented success as a sprinter, collecting $143,465 earnings in 39 starts. Midshipman, the 2008 American Champion Two-Year-Old, was best known for winning the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) under the watchful direction of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Coal Battle Jockey / Owner Derby Achievements

Veteran jockey Juan Vargas, who has $12,103,043 in career earnings, will be riding in his first Kentucky Derby aboard Coal Battle.

72-year-old trainer Lonnie Briley will be making his Kentucky Derby debut.

70 points for Coal Battle on the Road to the #KyDerby! 🌹 pic.twitter.com/uaDkpuX8Ws
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) February 23, 2025

Coal Battle Race History

Coal Battle has a career record of five wins and one third-place finish in eight career starts. The talented colt broke his maiden with a 3 and ½ length victory in his first start last July at Evangeline at a distance of five furlongs.

After failing to hit the board in his next two starts, he found the winner’s circle in the Jean Lafitte Stakes, Remington Springboard Mile Stakes and the Smarty Jones Stakes - displaying various winning styles that ranged from a front-running score to showing off tactical speed to win from mid-pack.

Vargas, who has been aboard Coal Battle in all eight starts, guided him to a fourth straight victory in the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn at the end of February. Defeating expected Derby rivals Sandman, Publisher, Tiztastic and Madaket Road helped him earn a career-best 104 Equibase Speed figure.

However, his winning streak came to an end in the Arkansas Derby this time finishing behind Sandman and Publisher.

Coal Battle & Lonnie 🥰 pic.twitter.com/1TDj6JEgPk
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 14, 2025

Coal Battle Kentucky Derby Betting Outlook

Coal Battle earned a spot in the field after finishing ninth in overall Derby points (95). Due to a pedigree that doesn’t strongly suggest a horse who will be able to sustain enough stamina for the grueling 1 1/4 mile test, oddsmakers currently have him listed as a major longshot in Derby Futures at odds of +2500. Can Coal Battle find the winner’s circle in both Juan Vargas’ and Lonnie Briley’s Kentucky debut? If you believe the answer is yes, you will be rewarded with a lucrative payout.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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