Steve Asmussen and Mark Casse are two of the most successful horse racing trainers in North America, but the two share more in common than just their success entering the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Asmussen and Casse hold the distinction of being the two 2025 Kentucky Derby trainers with the most appearances in the Run for the Roses without a win. However, both will have legitimate chances to right that wrong on Saturday at Churchill Downs with strong 2025 Kentucky Derby contenders. Asmussen (0-for26) has two 2025 Kentucky Derby horses qualified, Publisher and Tiztastic (both sired by Kentucky Derby winners) listed at 20-1.
Casse (0-for-10) has one entrant in the 2025 Kentucky Derby field, Sandman, the Arkansas Derby winner and third favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds at 6-1 behind Journalism (3-1) and Sovereignty (5-1). With the Kentucky Derby annually featuring the largest field in North American racing, you’ll want to see what Santa Anita-based racing reporter and analyst Michelle Yu has to say before making any 2025 Kentucky Derby picks, considering the success she’s had handicapping this race.
In a wide-open Kentucky Derby in 2021, she gave out Medina Spirit, who crossed the finish line first, as the winner at 12-1. In Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager three years ago, she suggested a play on All Other 3-Year-Olds, which cashed at a whopping 18-1 when Rich Strike won.
She started off 2025 by correctly going all-in on Citizen Bull to win the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and she also predicted Forever Young’s win in the $20 million Saudi Cup, Journalism’s win in the San Felipe Stakes and Sandman’s win in the Arkansas Derby this year. Anyone who has followed her on those picks on betting sites like FanDuel Racing, TwinSpires and 1/ST BET is up huge.
Now, with the 2025 Kentucky Derby post positions set and odds on the board, Yu is sharing her 2025 Kentucky Derby betting picks and 2025 Kentucky Derby predictions over at SportsLine. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2025 Kentucky Derby predictions
One surprise: Yu is completely fading Sandman, even though he won the Arkansas Derby and is one of the top favorites. Sandman features plenty of closing speed, which was on full display in his victory at the Arkansas Derby. However, closers tend to be dependent on a fast pace up front and generally lose ground on the far turn at Churchill Downs.
That was evident when Sandman raced twice at Churchill Downs in the fall, finishing no better than third in the Iroquois Stakes or Street Sense. This Mark Casse-trained colt has experienced connections, but neither Casse (10 starters) nor jockey Jose Ortiz (nine) has ever prevailed at the Kentucky Derby. See which other 2025 Kentucky Derby horses to avoid at SportsLine.
Another curveball: Yu is high on Luxor Cade , even though he is a 15-1 longshot in the Kentucky Derby odds 2025. No Japanese horse has won the Kentucky Derby, but Forever Young finished third in a photo finish last year. Luxor Cafe, a Kentucky-bred son of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, is Japan’s best hope this year.
Luxor Cafe has spent his entire six-race career in Japan, winning four straight races to clinch his spot in the 2025 Kentucky Derby field. His last start was his most impressive, as he stalked the pace before using a late burst to earn a five-length victory in the Fukuryu Stakes on March 29. Yu notes that Luxor Cafe’s connections “have stated that he had plenty left in the tank” following that impressive win, and his style fits this race. See which other horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2025 Kentucky Derby picks
Moreover, Yu is high on a double-digit longshot who has been getting over the Churchill Downs surface “perfectly” this week. She is including this horse in her 2025 Kentucky Derby bets, and so should you. She’s sharing which 2025 Kentucky Derby horses to back at SportsLine.
So who wins the 2025 Kentucky Derby? What double-digit longshot is a must-back, and how has Yu constructed her wagers? Visit SportsLine to see Yu’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the Santa Anita-based racing insider who has a long history of success in the Kentucky Derby, and find out.
2025 Kentucky Derby odds, post positions
2025 Kentucky Derby horse previews
1 Citizen Bull | 2 Neoequos | 3 Final Gambit | 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 | 21 Baeza
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Guardians’ Daniel Schneemann puts himself in Babe Ruth territory with grand slam
<!--> Daniel Schneemann hit his first career grand slam and added a solo shot, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 5-3, come-from-behind victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.With Toronto leading 3-1 and two outs in the ninth inning, Schneemann pulled an 0-1 pitch from Yimi Garcia into the stands in right field for his first multi-homer game and fourth long ball of the season.That capped off a historic performance for Schneemann, who accomplished something only one MLB player ever has — and that was Babe Ruth, more than a century ago.ADVERTISEMENT -->Schneemann gave Cleveland its first run with a solo homer off Chad Green in the eighth.Coincidentally, Ruth's similar outing came against Cleveland. His grand slam in the ninth powered the Red Sox to an 8-7 win. He also hit a two-run shot in the top of the […]
NBA playoffs takeaways: Nuggets dominate Game 7, send Clippers packing
The Denver Nuggets overpowered the LA Clippers in Saturday’s Game 7 to win and advance to the second round.After a close first quarter, the Nuggets pulled away in the second, took a roaring lead in the third and shut down the Clippers’ offense. All of Denver’s five starters, as well as veteran Russell Westbrook, put up double-digit points in the 120-101 win.AdvertisementDenver advances to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.Nuggets 120, Clippers 101(Denver wins series 4-3)How the Nuggets dominated the ClippersIn a Game 7 that the Nuggets truly needed to win, in a series with so many storylines, Russell Westbrook and Peyton Watson changed the course of the game in the second quarter. They came off the bench, played terrific defense and provided a level of energy the Clippers weren’t able to match.More importantly, during some […]
San Diego FC’s Hirving Lozano strikes goal to take 2-0 lead vs. FC Dallas
San Diego FC's Hirving Lozano strikes goal to take 2-0 lead vs. FC Dallas | FOX Sports <!--> --> Video Details San Diego FC's Hirving Lozano made a goal to take 2-0 lead vs. FC Dallas. 2 MINS AGO・MLS・0:31
NBA playoffs: Russell Westbrook enjoys himself with hanging dunk tech in Nuggets’ blowout of Clippers
Amid the carnage that was the Denver Nuggets' Game 7 blowout of the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, it had to feel pretty good to be Russell Westbrook.The veteran guard had a solid two-season career with the Clippers, but was jettisoned last offseason as part of a trade to the Utah Jazz that landed defensive specialist Kris Dunn. At 35 years old, Westbrook was waived by Utah and proceeded to join the Nuggets in free agency.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWestbrook is a long distance away from his years as an All-Star, but he slotted in as a bench piece for a Denver team desperate for depth and did usual thing, for better or worse. It was better on Saturday, when Westbrook stole the ball from his old team while up 29 points in the fourth quarter and took a victory dunk.Then he hung on […]
Botafogo sente ausências do time e perde para o Bahia pelo Brasileiro
Com muitos desfalques (sete, ao todo), o Botafogo até que tentou fazer frente ao Bahia. Mas não conseguiu resistir aos donos da casa e perdeu por 1 a 0, na Fonte Nova. Uma derrota que freia a reação da equipe no Brasileiro. Com nove pontos, o atual campeão caiu na tabela e passou para a metade de baixo. Dorme em 11º e pode perder mais posições no complemento da rodada. No próximo domingo, o Botafogo vai tentar se recuperar diante do Internacional, no Nilton Santos. Antes, contudo, fará jogo decisivo contra o Carabobo, na Venezuela, pela Libertadores, na terça-feira. O gol da partida foi de Cauly, aos 38 da primeira etapa, concluindo ótima jogada individual de Erick Pulga. Na etapa final, já na base do abafa, o Botafogo conseguiu equilibrar a partida, e a disputa ficou aberta. Os dois lados […]
2025 NBA playoff bracket: Matchups, schedule, game times as Nuggets knock Clippers out in Game 7
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports The Denver Nuggets have moved on in the 2025 NBA playoff bracket, sending the Los Angeles Clippers packing in a Game 7 blowout win on Saturday night. The Nuggets are the seventh team to advance, and the full second round will be set after the Houston Rockets host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday in a Game 7 of their own. The Nuggets are moving on to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. The Thunder remain the title favorites (+130 at Caesars), and will begin their series against Denver on Monday in OKC. The Minnesota Timberwolves await the Rockets-Warriors winner after knocking the Los Angeles Lakers out in five games.In the East, the top four seeds advanced. The No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Miami Heat, the second-seeded […]
Related
Guardians’ Daniel Schneemann puts himself in Babe Ruth territory with grand slam
<!--> Daniel Schneemann hit his first career grand slam and added a solo shot, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 5-3, come-from-behind victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.With Toronto leading 3-1 and two outs in the ninth inning, Schneemann pulled an 0-1 pitch from Yimi Garcia into the stands in right field for his first multi-homer game and fourth long ball of the season.That capped off a historic performance for Schneemann, who accomplished something only one MLB player ever has — and that was Babe Ruth, more than a century ago.ADVERTISEMENT -->Schneemann gave Cleveland its first run with a solo homer off Chad Green in the eighth.Coincidentally, Ruth's similar outing came against Cleveland. His grand slam in the ninth powered the Red Sox to an 8-7 win. He also hit a two-run shot in the top of the […]
NBA playoffs takeaways: Nuggets dominate Game 7, send Clippers packing
The Denver Nuggets overpowered the LA Clippers in Saturday’s Game 7 to win and advance to the second round.After a close first quarter, the Nuggets pulled away in the second, took a roaring lead in the third and shut down the Clippers’ offense. All of Denver’s five starters, as well as veteran Russell Westbrook, put up double-digit points in the 120-101 win.AdvertisementDenver advances to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.Nuggets 120, Clippers 101(Denver wins series 4-3)How the Nuggets dominated the ClippersIn a Game 7 that the Nuggets truly needed to win, in a series with so many storylines, Russell Westbrook and Peyton Watson changed the course of the game in the second quarter. They came off the bench, played terrific defense and provided a level of energy the Clippers weren’t able to match.More importantly, during some […]
San Diego FC’s Hirving Lozano strikes goal to take 2-0 lead vs. FC Dallas
San Diego FC's Hirving Lozano strikes goal to take 2-0 lead vs. FC Dallas | FOX Sports <!--> --> Video Details San Diego FC's Hirving Lozano made a goal to take 2-0 lead vs. FC Dallas. 2 MINS AGO・MLS・0:31
NBA playoffs: Russell Westbrook enjoys himself with hanging dunk tech in Nuggets’ blowout of Clippers
Amid the carnage that was the Denver Nuggets' Game 7 blowout of the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, it had to feel pretty good to be Russell Westbrook.The veteran guard had a solid two-season career with the Clippers, but was jettisoned last offseason as part of a trade to the Utah Jazz that landed defensive specialist Kris Dunn. At 35 years old, Westbrook was waived by Utah and proceeded to join the Nuggets in free agency.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWestbrook is a long distance away from his years as an All-Star, but he slotted in as a bench piece for a Denver team desperate for depth and did usual thing, for better or worse. It was better on Saturday, when Westbrook stole the ball from his old team while up 29 points in the fourth quarter and took a victory dunk.Then he hung on […]
Botafogo sente ausências do time e perde para o Bahia pelo Brasileiro
Com muitos desfalques (sete, ao todo), o Botafogo até que tentou fazer frente ao Bahia. Mas não conseguiu resistir aos donos da casa e perdeu por 1 a 0, na Fonte Nova. Uma derrota que freia a reação da equipe no Brasileiro. Com nove pontos, o atual campeão caiu na tabela e passou para a metade de baixo. Dorme em 11º e pode perder mais posições no complemento da rodada. No próximo domingo, o Botafogo vai tentar se recuperar diante do Internacional, no Nilton Santos. Antes, contudo, fará jogo decisivo contra o Carabobo, na Venezuela, pela Libertadores, na terça-feira. O gol da partida foi de Cauly, aos 38 da primeira etapa, concluindo ótima jogada individual de Erick Pulga. Na etapa final, já na base do abafa, o Botafogo conseguiu equilibrar a partida, e a disputa ficou aberta. Os dois lados […]
2025 NBA playoff bracket: Matchups, schedule, game times as Nuggets knock Clippers out in Game 7
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports The Denver Nuggets have moved on in the 2025 NBA playoff bracket, sending the Los Angeles Clippers packing in a Game 7 blowout win on Saturday night. The Nuggets are the seventh team to advance, and the full second round will be set after the Houston Rockets host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday in a Game 7 of their own. The Nuggets are moving on to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. The Thunder remain the title favorites (+130 at Caesars), and will begin their series against Denver on Monday in OKC. The Minnesota Timberwolves await the Rockets-Warriors winner after knocking the Los Angeles Lakers out in five games.In the East, the top four seeds advanced. The No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Miami Heat, the second-seeded […]
Be the first to leave a comment