Citizen Bull

Who is Kentucky Derby horse Citizen Bull?

Citizen Bull is a budding star as a bay colt who's blazed through his juvenile campaign with the kind of progression that gets Derby dreamers excited. Breaking his maiden at Del Mar in mid-August, this son of No Joke showed he was no joke himself, taking a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight by daylight with Martin Garcia in the irons.

The real story here isn't just the wins -- it's the way this colt has developed. After cutting his teeth in sprints, he tackled seven furlongs in September at Del Mar, finishing third in stakes company. That loss proved to be a mere stepping stone. His morning works at Santa Anita -- particularly that bullet five-eighths in 58.80 on October 26 -- telegraphed his readiness for the big stage.

And boy, did he deliver. First came a commanding victory in the Road to the Kentucky Derby prep of the American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita, stretching out to 1 1/16 miles like he was born to route. Then, just weeks later, he put an exclamation point on his campaign by capturing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, cementing his status as the division leader and earning 30 more points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

The numbers tell the tale: four starts, three wins, one show, and a bankroll swelling past $1.3 million. But it's the way he's done it -- stretching from sprints to routes, handling different tracks, and beating increasingly tougher competition -- that has the racing world buzzing. His systematic progression through his workout pattern, from those early two-furlong breezes at Los Al to his recent stakes-winning form, reads like a textbook example of patient, masterful development.

For handicappers keeping notes for 2025: here's a colt who's won from different posts, handled fast tracks with aplomb, and shown tactical versatility. The Triple Crown trail beckons, and Citizen Bull has already proven he's got the tools to answer the call.

RELATED ARTICLES FOR KENTUCKY DERBY HORSE CITIZEN BULL:

JOHNSON: Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Citizen Bull

HANSON: Citizen Bull, Immersive clinch Breeders' Cup and juvenile titles

REILLY: Citizen Bull wires American Pharoah

MUCCIOLO: Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Citizen Bull [BC Juvenile]

MUCCIOLO: Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Citizen Bull [American Pharoah S.]

TWINSPIRES: 2025 Kentucky Derby News and Notes

BRISNET: The Complete Kentucky Derby Guide powered by Brisnet

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🐂 Citizen Bull wins the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile!

pic.twitter.com/hNQeTqGO1v

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) November 2, 2024