At 89, D. Wayne Lukas remains a key player in thoroughbred racing, training American Promise, a colt poised to compete in the upcoming Kentucky Derby. American Promise has recently gained attention for setting a track record at the Virginia Derby. Winning the Derby would mark Lukas’s fifth victory in the event, making him the oldest winning trainer. The colt, a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, was sold for $750,000 and is seen as a rising star despite a slow start to his career. Analysts note his potential for a strong performance, particularly with strategic post placements.
At 89 years of age, D. Wayne Lukas continues to train thoroughbred racehorses at an impressive level. His striking chestnut colt, American Promise, is coming off a record-breaking win in the Virginia Derby and is viewed as a strong longshot for the Kentucky Derby. Should American Promise triumph in the Run for the Roses on Saturday, it would mark Lukas’s fifth Kentucky Derby win, making him the oldest trainer ever to achieve this feat.
5 American Promise (30-1 on morning line, now 12-1)
- Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
- Jockey: Nik Juarez
- Last race: First in the Virginia Derby by 7¾ lengths
- Career record: 9 starts: 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third
- Career earnings: $444,874
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 95 (twice)
- Sire: Justify
In the following sections, we’ll delve deeper into American Promise as part of our series profiling all the contenders in the 151st Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 3. We will review his previous performances, outline key questions for Saturday, and analyze how the post draw may impact his chances.
Kentucky Derby profiles 1 Citizen Bull | 2 Neoequos | 3 Final Gambit | 5 American Promise | 6 Admire Daytona | 7 Luxor Cafe | 8 Journalism | 9 Burnham Square | 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
Kentucky Derby picks Michelle Yu | Gene Menez | Jody Demling | Jeff Hochman
Now that you know the field, you’ll want to learn how to bet on the Kentucky Derby using top horse racing betting apps.
2025 Kentucky Derby start time, odds, preview: Journalism favored, plus horse profiles, betting strategies
Gene Menez
What to know about American Promise
No runner in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby may boast better bloodlines than American Promise, bred for greatness. He is the offspring of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify and a Tapit mare, making him akin to horse racing royalty. This lineage came with a substantial price tag; he was auctioned for $750,000 two years ago.
At a towering 17 hands, American Promise is an impressive colt who required time to mature. He finally broke his maiden in his sixth start, earning a 95 Beyer Speed Figure and defeating the talented Publisher in the process. Although his subsequent races in the Southwest and Risen Star Stakes did not go well, he returned to form in the Virginia Derby, setting a track record for nine furlongs, winning by nearly eight lengths, and securing another 95 Beyer Speed Figure. Other speed figure assessors rate the performance even higher.
Instead of entering him in another prep race, trainer D. Wayne Lukas chose to ready American Promise directly for the Kentucky Derby, believing the colt has continued to improve since his Virginia Derby triumph. American Promise executed a five-furlong workout in just under 60 seconds on Saturday, and Lukas remarked that it was one of the most impressive Derby preparations he has overseen in his career. While it’s possible the 89-year-old trainer is embellishing, such statements carry weight coming from someone with four Derby victories.
At 30-1 odds on FanDuel Racing, TwinSpires, and 1/ST BET, American Promise may just be hitting his stride at the perfect moment, much like Lukas’s beloved success story, Charismatic, who elevated from claiming races to clinching two-thirds of the Triple Crown in 1999.
Post draw analysis
Lukas notes that while American Promise may not possess the speed to outpace other frontrunners, he anticipates that the colt will be positioned forwardly, despite starting from the No. 5 post. If he can achieve a good break, which has been a challenge, and secure an outside stalking position, American Promise could provide his trainer and team with an exhilarating run down the stretch.