Final Gambit

Final Gambit won his maiden race as a 3-year-old in his third career start in a one-mile race on the all-weather track at Turfway Park with a last-to-first closing move on Feb. 15, 2025. In his next start he was sent up against stakes company in the Grade 3 $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks going 1 1/8 miles at Turfway Park on March 22. In the Jeff Ruby, Final Gambit was sent off at 15-1 odds on the tote board in a 12-horse field and again raced far off the pace early until coming with a strong late last-to-first move to get the lead in the stretch and draw off to a decisive 3 1/2-length victory. The Jeff Ruby was a points race on the road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby, and with his win, Final Gambit earned 100 qualifying points to secure a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby.

Final Gambit made his fifth lifetime start in the Kentucky Derby, which was his first career outing on a dirt main track. Sent off at odds of 17.55-1 in a 19-horse field in the Kentucky Derby from post 3 under Luan Machado, Final Gambit raced in last-place for the first half of the race but was able to come with a sustained closing move through the stretch to pass horses and get up for fourth place, beaten 4 ¼ lengths.

After his encouraging Derby fourth, Final Gambit was entered in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes on dirt June 8 at Churchill. The race was reduced from seven horses to just four after three scratches, and as a result the lone speed horse, East Avenue, was able to set slow fractions. Without a fast pace to close into, Final Gambit’s rally in the far turn stalled and he finished last of four.

Final Gambit is trained by Brad Cox. He was bred in Kentucky by the sire Not This Time out of the mare Pachinko by Tapit.