Admiral Dennis

Admiral Dennis scored his maiden win in his second lifetime outing as a 2-year-old on Nov. 7, 2024 at Churchill Downs. The victory was impressive enough not only to send him up against stakes company, but it also made him the 4-5 favorite in his next start which came in the $96,000 Gun Runner Stakes, on Dec. 21 at Fair Grounds, where Admiral Dennis never fired and finished fourth in a five-horse field. 

That effort netted Admiral Dennis two qualifying points for the 2025 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, and the colt stayed at Fair Grounds for his next start, a three-quarter-length win in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming race on Jan. 20, 2025.

Trainer Brad Cox moved Admiral Dennis back up to face fellow Kentucky Derby hopefuls in his next two starts. The colt finished a late-closing sixth in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes Feb. 23 at Oaklawn Park after starting slow and forcing to rally very wide in the stretch, and then ran better in the Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes April 8 at Keeneland, where he closed along the inside path to finish fourth by three lengths and tally 15 more qualifying points.

Admiral Dennis is out of the stakes-winning Union Rags mare Gulf Coast and his female family includes Belmont Stakes winner and legendary sire A.P. Indy, Preakness Stakes winner Summer Squall, and Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Happy Saver.