Gosger Scores In Lexington Stakes, Preakness Could Be Up Next
The $400,000 Lexington Stakes, the final Kentucky Derby prep race of 2025, was won by Gosger in impressive fashion on Saturday from Keeneland.
Despite finding the winner’s circle, the 20 points awarded for first place were not enough to earn the son of Nyquist entry into the Kentucky Derby. However, his performance in his two-turn debut, may have pointed towards the second leg of the Triple Crown instead.
Sitting in stalking position for much of the race, Gosger was comfortable allowing pacesetter Bracket Buster to set a blistering pace. Coming around the final turn it looked like Chad Brown’s Praetor was going to win his third consecutive race after taking a brief lead.
Top jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. had different plans as he guided Gosger down the middle of track with a charging three-wide move -- passing both Bracket Buster and Praetor in the final furlong. Once clear of the field, Ortiz kept the raw talent focused by angling him in towards the rail and drawing off with a two-length victory.
“He’s a really nice horse. He ran a little green down the lane, looking around. I tried to stay straight and keep him focused,” said Ortiz. “He was very impressive. He’s fun to ride. I had a beautiful trip, and he responded whenever I asked him. He was there for me. Everything worked out perfect.”
GOSGER ($10.60) rolled right on by Bracket Buster in the $400,000 Lexington Stakes (G3) at @KeenelandRacing. @brenpwalsh trains the 3YO Nyquist (@DarleyAmerica) colt who earned 20 @KentuckyDerby points. @IradOrtiz was up! pic.twitter.com/br1imr7TM7
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) April 12, 2025
Bracket Buster, at odds of 25/1 held on for second with Praetor came in third. Michael McCarthy’s Bullard, who went off as the post-time odds-on favorite, finished a disappointing fifth.
Following the thrilling victory, Gosger showed he could be a major player for the Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 17. Trainer Brendan Walsh said after the race he is going to take his time before making a decision on where Gosger is headed next.
“We’ll see how he comes out (of this race)," said Walsh. “I won’t do anything drastic too quickly unless he really warrants it. He’s going to be a lovely horse as the year goes on, really, but we’re going to stay calm and pick our spots with him and see how we go.”
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-1be8bb0e9ea1ab9f8bfbf612aa95e4bb.jpeg "Frank Taddeo")
Frank Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Besides contributing NFL fantasy analysis with a Vegas slant, Frank Taddeo primarily performs as On SI’s Senior Fantasy Analyst, providing his significant experience and resources in the sports world.