Flying Mohawk Qualifies for Kentucky Derby After Placing at Jeff Ruby Steaks

Horse owner and World Series Champion Jayson Werth talks about Flying Mohawk with trainer Whit Beckman.

The field of horses rush out of the starting gate Saturday, May 4, 2024, during of the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

It was an exciting day at the track for Jayson Werth and his partners from Two Eight Racing. Flying Mohawk, one of the ownership group's horses, qualified for the Kentucky Derby. The three-year old finished second at the Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 22nd, which earned the colt enough qualifying points to enter the 151st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

Just days before the race, Werth and trainer Whit Beckman, talked about Flying Mohawk on the Off The Rail podcast. During the interview Beckman talked about the race options for Flying Mohawk but said "if you're from Kentucky and have a shot to swing at the Derby, why not swing at the Derby." And that's exactly what the group decided to do by entering the colt into the Jeff Ruby Steaks and sure enough, Flying Mohawk placed in the race and will now run in the Kentucky Derby in just a few weeks. The Jeff Ruby steaks was added as a major qualifier in the Road to the Kentucky Derby Series in 2021.

Werth already had plans to be at Churchill Downs on May 3rd for the Kentucky Derby. Earlier this year he was named a host of Club SI alongside gymnast Livvy Dunne. Club SI is a reserved dining and bar area behind the paddock that offers racegoers an exclusive, "modern, sophisticated race day experience". Now he'll be pulling double-duty as owner of one of the Kentucky Derby participants and host of the Club SI Derby experience.

“Winning the Kentucky Derby, I can’t even fathom what that would mean to us, to our families, to the horse, to our partnership, to Icon Racing, to the sport of horse racing...o win that race, it’s unfathomable.”

Jayson Werth

Flying Mohawk's 2025 statistics include one first place and one second place finish in two starts. In 2024, he had two firsts and two seconds in six races.

Werth's other ownership group, Icon Racing, has some great opportunities around the sport that any horse racing fan and enthusiast would want to be part of.

Check out the full episode of Off The Rail podcast