Neoequos profile: 2025 Kentucky Derby odds, post position, history and more to know

Puchased for the relatively modest sum of $22,000 two years ago, Neoequos already has exceeded expectations, earning more than $290,000 in his career. On Saturday, he’ll get a chance to add an unlikely twist to his underdog story when he leaves the starting gate in the 2025 Kentucky Derby as one of the biggest longshots in the race.

2 Neoequos (30-1)

• Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
• Jockey Flavien Prat
• Last race Third in the Florida Derby by 4 lengths
• Career record 7 starts: 2 wins, 2 seconds, 2 thirds
• Career earnings $291,050
• Best career Beyer Speed Figure 91 (twice)
• Sire Neolithic

Below, we’ll dig further into Neoequos as part of our series profiling all the horses competing in the 151st Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 3. We’ll look back into his past performances, what questions need to be answered Saturday and analyze how the post draw affects his chances.

Kentucky Derby profiles 1 Citizen Bull | 2 Neoequos | 3 Final Gambit | 4 Rodriguez | 5 American Promise | 6 Admire Daytona | 7 Luxor Cafe | 8 Journalism | 9 Burnham Square | 10 Grande | 11 Flying Mohawk | 12 East Avenue | 13 Publisher | 14 Tiztastic | 15 Render Judgment | 16 Coal Battle | 17 Sandman | 18 Sovereignty | 19 Chunk of Gold | 20 Owen Almighty

Kentucky Derby picks Michelle Yu | Gene Menez | Jody Demling

What to know about Neoequos

This Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee has made seven career starts—all at Gulfstream Park in South Florida. Twice at the end of last year, he finished second to Rated by Merit, who was the country’s fastest 2-year-old sprinter last year before being sidelined.

After winning an allowance race in his first start of 2025 on a sloppy track, Neoequos was entered in the Fountain of Youth Stakes. He set the pace that day before hanging on for third behind Sovereignty and River Thames. Then, in his final prep race, he broke sharply, rated in second and eventually inherited but was easily overtaken by Tappan Street and Sovereignty.

Though he would be better at shorter distances—he hasn’t won beyond six furlongs—Neoequos finds himself in a Kentucky Derby that doesn’t set up for him from a pace scenario standpoint. The field features several speedballs who do their best running on the lead (namely Citizen Bull, Rodriguez and East Avenue). Neoequos could be forced to rate again, like he did in the Florida Derby.

According to the Beyer Speed Figures, he is one of the slowest horses in the field; just three horses have career-best Beyers slower than Neoequos’ 91. He will need to jump up significantly from a number standpoint in order to outrun his odds at TwinSpires and 1/ST BET and be competitive in this field.

Post draw analysis

The post draw did no favors to Neoequos, who was assigned the No. 2 post. From this inside post position he will be forced to use his speed early to secure a forward position, and that may not leave enough gas late. The good news is that he breaks well from the starting gate, and he has recent history with an inside post position (see: Florida Derby). But even if he survives the early pace scenario, he will still have to find a way to turn the tables on Sovereignty, who has caught Neoequos in his last two starts.