Kentucky Derby 2025: Gaming pointed to Virginia Derby

Gaming, who finished eighth in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn in his 3-year-old debut, will make his next start in the $500,000 Virginia Derby on March 15 at Colonial Downs, trainer Bob Baffert said.

“It’s a mile and an eighth, one turn, we’ll give him one more crack at it,” said Baffert, who has Irad Ortiz Jr. to ride. “The Oaklawn race was horrendous. He didn’t get anything out of that. He’s come back and worked well.”

The Virginia Derby, moved from a turf race in the summer to a dirt race in late winter, makes its debut as a Kentucky Derby points-scoring race with the top five finishers earning points on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2025: Point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

Gaming won his first two starts at age 2, including the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, a race in which his stablemate Citizen Bull finished third. Citizen Bull turned the tables on Gaming in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, those horses finishing first and second at Del Mar.

Gaming ended his 2-year-old season with a disappointing third-place finish behind Journalism in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity.

“He was stuck in the one-hole in each of his last two starts and had disastrous trips,” Baffert said. “I just want to get him back on track. We know he’s a good horse.”

Gaming worked six furlongs in 1:11.80 from the gate on Feb. 28 at Santa Anita.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.