Study Guide: 2025 Breeders’ Futurity

Oct 01, 2025 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Spice Runner wins the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

Runaway Hopeful (G1) winner Ted Noffey leads an accomplished seven-horse field entered in Saturday’s $650,000 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.

The 1 1/16-mile race is an important early stop on the 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby, awarding Kentucky Derby (G1) qualification points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis.

Let’s take a horse-by-horse look at the entries:

Blackout Time

Blackout time wins at Ellis Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Brookdale Racing, Lance Gasaway, and Magdalena Racing
Breeder: Newstead Corp
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Cristian Torres

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning an Ellis Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $82,316

Sire: Not This Time
Dam: Beauty Parlor
Color: Dark bay/brown

A powerful 9 3/4-length maiden win racing one mile at Ellis Park suggests Blackout Time has notable talent and a bright future. Brisnet Speed ratings suggest he’s fast enough to challenge for a top-three finish even while facing tougher competition in the Breeders’ Futurity.

Big Dom

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Greenwell Thoroughbreds and Robert Asaro
Breeder: Merriebelle Stable
Trainer: Tom Amoss
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (96) when winning a Saratoga maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $55,000

Sire: McKinzie
Dam: Half A. P.
Color: Dark bay/brown

Big Dom fought hard to win his debut sprinting six furlongs at Saratoga by a neck, earning a flashy 96 Brisnet Speed rating. Stretching out over 1 1/16 miles for the Breeders’ Futurity is a new obstacle to overcome, but Big Dom’s pedigree suggests the added distance won’t be an issue. He has lots of potential.

Diciassette

Diciassette wins the Proud Man at Gulfstream Park. (Photo by Coglianese Photo / Credit to Sonny Hughes)

Start(s): 2
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Green With MV Stable
Breeder: Dominique Damico
Trainer: Patrick Biancone
Jockey: Jonathan Ocasio

Top Speed Rating: (89) when winning a Gulfstream Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $69,450

Sire: Mitole
Dam: Im a Dixie Diva
Color: Bay

Diciassette is undefeated in two starts, including a win in the six-furlong Proud Man S. at Gulfstream Park. But his career-best 89 Brisnet Speed rating looks a bit light against the Breeders’ Futurity field.

Spice Runner

Spice Runner wins the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Winchell Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Top Speed Rating: (89) when winning the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs.
Total Earnings: $293,170

Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Simple Surprise
Color: Bay

Spice Runner has already enjoyed success on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, rallying tenaciously to win the one-mile Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs. But he’s yet to earn a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 89, so he’ll likely need a step forward to defeat Ted Noffey and others.

Litmus Test

Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stables, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan
Breeder: Machmer Hall
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Flavien Prat

Top Speed Rating: (92) when finishing fourth in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at Del Mar.
Total Earnings: $66,000

Sire: Nyquist
Dam: Study Hard
Color: Bay

Litmus Test faltered in his first try against stakes competition, finishing fourth in the Del Mar Futurity (G1). But even in defeat, he earned a respectable 92 Brisnet Speed rating. Litmus Test has the pedigree to shine while stretching out over 1 1/16 miles for six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, so don’t underestimate this son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist.

Ted Noffey

Hopeful (G1) hero Ted Noffey is another budding star for leading sire Into Mischief (Photo by Chelsea Durand/Coglianese Photos)

Start(s): 2
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Spendthrift Farm
Breeder: Aaron and Marie Jones
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez

Top Speed Rating: (102) when winning the Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $220,000

Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Streak of Luck
Color: Gray/roan

The horse to beat in the Breeders’ Futurity is Ted Noffey. The undefeated gray colt was tons the best in the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) last month, winning by 8 1/2 lengths with a powerful 102 Brisnet Speed rating. Ted Noffey finished fast in the Hopeful, which bodes well for his chances of handling 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland. Chances are, he’ll nab a second straight Grade 1 win.

𝙏𝙚𝙙 𝙉𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝟭𝟮𝟭𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙩 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙃𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 (𝙂𝙄).

The 2yo son of @spendthriftfarm Stallion Into Mischief was brilliantly ridden by jockey @ljlmvel and conditioned by Todd Pletcher. pic.twitter.com/D8jV6mo9YP

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 1, 2025

Ewing

Start(s): 2
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: D. J. Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Kenneth Freirich
Breeder: John Gardiner
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Top Speed Rating: (91) when winning a Saratoga maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $165,000

Sire: Knicks Go
Dam: Sassy Ali Joy
Color: Gray/roan

The undefeated Ewing has been rested since the beginning of August, when he led all the way to win the 6 1/2-furlong Saratoga Special (G2). A pure frontrunner, Ewing figures to set the Breeders’ Futurity pace, but only time will tell if he can hold off the favorites while racing a quarter-mile farther than ever before.