In a noteworthy development for the 2025 Kentucky Derby, Barnes, one of the co-favorites in Las Vegas futures, demonstrated impressive speed during a recent workout at Santa Anita. The young horse, trained by the renowned Bob Baffert, has been making headlines with his performances. This latest workout further solidifies his position as a top contender for the upcoming derby. Meanwhile, other promising horses like Shea Brennan also showed promise during their workouts, adding to the excitement surrounding this year's race.

Details of Barnes' Impressive Performance

In the crisp morning air of Southern California, Barnes, a colt sired by Into Mischief and owned by Zedan Racing, completed a five-furlong workout in an astonishing 58.8 seconds, the fastest time among 47 horses covering the same distance. This performance comes just ten days after his previous workout, where he clocked in at 59.8 seconds over the same distance. Purchased for a substantial $3.2 million as a yearling, Barnes made his debut in November, narrowly winning a maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs. His most recent competitive appearance was on January 4th, where he triumphed by a commanding 5.5 lengths in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes.

The horse's growing reputation was further cemented when he was named the second choice on the morning line for the fourth pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, announced earlier this week. Interestingly, his stablemate, Citizen Bull, who is also a co-favorite in Las Vegas futures, tops the list for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

Meanwhile, another contender, Shea Brennan, turned heads with a five-furlong workout of 1:00.6, ranking seventh fastest out of 47 horses. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Shea Brennan recently finished second in the California Chrome Cal Cup Derby on January 18th, running 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Santa Anita.

From a journalistic perspective, these workouts not only highlight the rigorous preparation that goes into preparing horses for the Kentucky Derby but also underscore the intense competition that awaits. As the race approaches, fans and experts alike will be closely watching how these promising young horses continue to develop and perform. The early signs are certainly encouraging, setting the stage for what promises to be an unforgettable event.