The Nashville Derby (Grade 3)- $3,500.000 Purse
KD- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and Five Sixteenths on the Turf
August 30, 2025
Last year, the Nashville Derby appeared on the schedule with a $2,500.000 purse, making it immediately a race that trainers could look forward too. That would have been good enough, but the purse would grow even more, to $3,500.000, which has quickly made the Nashville Derby one of the bigger races of the entire year. It is an enormous opportunity for three year old turf horses, and the gate will be full with runners as trainers look to nail down the winner’s share of this large purse. Getting the distinction of winning the first ever Nashville Derby was Fanatical Empire, for Smokey Stover. That horse is still active and running well, doing so now in the silks of Bigchief Stables. Here’s a look at those looking to become the second winner of the race!
1- Fourth Estate (High Voltage, ridden by J J Hernandez)- Picked up in private sales for $101.000 in February, and hit his best stride in May when he was entered into the $125.000 Snow Chief Stakes at SA, which he’d win. From that, he went across the country to SAR to take on the best that is out there, and was successful as well, finishing second in the BEL Derby and winning the SAR Derby (in a dead heat). Works well, and the Nashville Derby should be right in his wheelhouse. This race is a little longer, and that’s something I think will further be to his advantage.
2- Fire Teeth (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by G Corrales)- Came from off the pace to win the $135.000 Curlin at SAR, and will now do something that he has not done since his debut, and run on the turf. Since that point, he’s won three of eight, and was seen in KYD preps and the allure of this race is too strong for the trainer. Look for him in the stretch with his running style, but I’ll lean towards the more experienced turf horses.
3- Imaleava (Royalty Stables, ridden by T Conner)- Still a lightly raced horse, making just his fifth start. After breaking his maiden at CD in June, he would head to SAR for the SAR Derby and looked good, earning the fourth place check at the end of the day. There is no reason to think that he cannot continue to build on that, and make up the length to Fourth Estate that he needed there, as he still has a lot of potential upside.
4- Sanity (Maletto, ridden by Je Toledo)- A horse that knows how to win, doing so in four out of his six starts, which are all in overnights. He’s been a regular at PRX, and had a successful turf debut last time out. There are question marks on him as to whether or not he can step up to this level of competition, as well as whether or not he wants this full distance, but he has earned the right to get this opportunity, and you’ll never know what he can do if you don’t try.
5- Last King (Riggins Racing, ridden by A R Rodriguez)- He’s been inconsistent over his ten race career, with his last win coming in October in the $150.000 Awad at AQU. I could live with the winless streak if he’d been close in the other races, but that is not the case for Last King. In his four races since the Awad, he’s gone home without earning a penny. He’s now had five months of rest, which in his case may be very beneficial. Works well, so could pull off a surprise, but I’ll pass.
6- Darrow (Mb Stables, ridden by W T Buick)- Started running on the turf right from the start, winning the Grade 2 Bourbon and appearing in the BC Juvenile Turf. Didn’t run well there, and it cost him his ability to breed, but he’s rebounded well as a three year old, taking three of seven races. Two starts ago, he won the Grade 3 Manila at SAR, then stayed there for the SAR Derby where he was solid third. Has what it takes, and should be with the leaders coming to the wire.
7- Royal Devil (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by D Cabrera)- Had a strong spring, which included running second in the SA Derby, which would get him into the KYD. That did not go well for him, and would lead to his return to the turf. He had run on the grass earlier in his career, and would win the $275.000 Audobon later in May. Last time out, he was moved back to the main track for the Grade 2 Dandy at the Spa and did well in a third place effort. Back to the turf he goes, hoping to better his BEL Derby result, where he was mid-pack.
8- Ello Santa (Mb Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- Hello, likely favorite! All eyes will be on Ello Santa here as he looks to win his fifth in a row. SAR was not the “Graveyard of favorites” for him, as he pulled off masterful performances, winning the BEL and SAR Derby’s at the Spa. The SAR Derby was in a dead heat with Fourth Estate, so it will be exciting to watch them battle it out in the rematch. Ello Santa is also a BC Juvenile Turf winner, and has taken eight of 12 overall. Translation: he’s done everything right to earn the distinction of being the favorite here. That of course, doesn’t mean his winning streak will continue.
9- Losing Hazard (Asgar, ridden by Ru Silvera)- Last November, he made his only turf start in the TAA Stakes at DMR and got the win, a race that was part of a four race win streak. He’d go on to win the RP Springboard Mile and the Southwest, so naturally he stayed on the dirt after that. However, since then, Losing Hazard has been running at or near the back, so a change was in order. That will be returning to the turf for a purse that’s even larger than the PRK or BEL, races that he did appear in.
10- Alydar (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by S Elliott)- Pretty similar to Losing Hazard in that he is moving to the turf after a string of unproductive results on the main track. He got turf experience as a two year old, and ran in the BC Juvenile Turf, though after winning $500.000 Great White Way in December, his career highlight to this point, he’s been on the dirt ever since. It was the right move, as he did get into the KYD. However, Alydar has not finished in the top four since March, and could use something a little different.
11- Sunflowers (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by J Bravo)- Won just once over his first five starts, with the four non-wins being unproductive outings. That would lead to him being moved to the turf, where it initially went well, running third in the PEN Mile, but that is not something that would carry to SAR for the BEL or SAR Derby. Perhaps his SAR Derby was a little better than it appears, but he’s going up against the same group that was ahead of him there in this race.
12- Continental (Barcelona Farms, ridden by Jam Rodriguez)- Absolutely mopped up the competition in LA-bred stakes early in his career, winning six of those races. Fellow LA-breds were happy to see him leave and take on unrestricted company, and Continental stepped up and delivered a win in the $300.000 TX Derby, and further followed it up in the Haskell, placing second. A bunch to like, and a bunch of races that are not on the turf. It looks like he will be able to adapt, and this purse is too appealing to pass up. He could get a piece of this.
13- Half Cherokee (Luz International, ridden by K Carmouche)- Last month, he was in the KD Preview Nashville Derby, a race that was not really much of a preview for this race, as he was the only one from that field to come here. He was a non-factor in the race, losing by five lengths but it was still good enough for a best of the rest third place in a five horse field. There’s not really much for an outsider to be excited about with this one against this company, though he does work well.
14- Tropical Surge (Red Fox Farms, ridden by A Jimenez)- This one had an excellent spring, winning the Holy Bull and then running second in the Fountain Of Youth. That would see him into the KYD, where he struggled, and did again two weeks later in the PRK. It was time for a change, like we saw with a couple others in this field, and the initial results of running on the turf have been promising. Won the $250.000 American Derby by four lengths in June (and also beat Half Cherokee by seven there), then made it to SAR and was second in the Grade 2 National Museum Of Racing. Can get a piece of this.
Prediction: 1-8-6-14
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES