Giocoso

Giocoso was unplaced in his first career start June 20 in a 5 ½-furlong dirt sprint at Churchill Downs, but the Not This Time colt improved in his second race when stretching out to a mile and switching to grass for a runner-up finish July 7 at Ellis Park.

Giocoso proved much the best in his third race at 1 1/16 miles on the Ellis Park turf Aug. 5, when he surged well clear in the stretch to a 6 ¼-length runaway victory.

Trainer Keith Desormeaux switched Giocoso back to the main track for the Grade 3, $300,000 Iroquois Stakes Sept. 14 at Churchill Downs. He banked qualifying points for the 2025 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve in that race but faded late to finish third, seven lengths behind winner Jonathan’s Way.

Giocoso returned to the grass for the Grade 2 Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes Oct. 6 at Keeneland but made little impression in a sixth-place finish.

Giocoso began his 3-year-old season in 2025 against the top levels of competition, first with an unsuccessful dirt outing off the layoff in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds on Feb. 15 and then with a fifth-place finish vs. a 12-horse field in the Grade 3 $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks going 1 1/8 miles on the all-weather surface at Turfway Park on March 22.

After trying dirt, synthetic, and turf surfaces in three races the first half of 2025, Giocoso finally settled on the turf for his start in the Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat Stakes going one mile at Colonial Downs on Aug. 9 and proved best that day with a length victory atop an eight-horse field.

Giocoso further added to his win total with a victory in the $300,000 Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on the grass at Churchill Downs on Nov. 22. Sent off as the 3.74-1 third choice on the tote board in a 10-horse field in the Commonwealth, Giocoso closed from near the rear of the field to get up in time to win by a head under jockey Jose Ortiz.

Kentucky-bred Giocoso was produced by the winning Fastnet Rock mare Nutcracker Suite.