Owen Almighty

Owen Almighty made a terrific first impression in his debut, winning a 5 ½-furlong sprint by 3 ½ lengths after stalking the pace June 20, 2024, at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Brian Lynch next gave the Speightstown colt a class test Aug. 11 at Ellis Park in the $175,000 Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes. He pressed the pace in the seven-furlong race, took over in the stretch, and motored to a 4 ¾-length runaway victory as the odds-on favorite.

Owen Almighty took his first step on the path to the 2025 Kentucky Derby in the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes Sept. 14 at Churchill Downs, where he came up 2 ¾ lengths short of winner Jonathan’s Way in a runner-up finish for his first career defeat. The Iroquois Stakes was the first official prep race on the Road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby points series, and with his runner-up finish he earned five qualifying points.

Owen Almighty took four months off following the Iroquois and nest showed up at Tampa Bay Downs going seven furlongs in his 3-year-old debut in the $92,000 Pasco Stakes on Jan. 11, 2025, and won the race, but disqualified from first and placed fifth. He was out to make amends in his next start right back at Tampa Bay Downs in the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 8 but had to settle for second that day after a stretch battle with John Hancock. The Sam F. Davis was another Kentucky Derby points race, and with his runner-up finish he earned 10 more points for a total of 15.

The third time of the meet at Tampa Bay Downs proved to be the charm for Owen Almighty when he returned in a field of seven in the Grade 3 $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby going 1 1/16 miles on March 8. Sent off as the 2.90 third choice under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Owen Almighty went right to the front in the Tampa Bay Derby, was allowed to set comfortable fractions, and drew off to a 3 1/2-length win when able to go the way unchallenged. As a part of the road to the Kentucky Derby points series, Owen Almighty picked up another 50 Derby qualifying points, more than enough to secure a starting berth in the run for the roses.

Although he was already secure in the Kentucky Derby field, Owen Almighty’s connections decided to give him one final prep in the April 5 Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. He pressed front-running East Avenue in the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass but could not overtake that foe in the stretch and tired late to finish in a dead heat for sixth with Chancer McPatrick.

Despite the loss in the Blue Grass Stakes, Owen Almighty still had enough qualifying points to proceed to the Kentucky Derby for his next start. Sent off at longshot odds of 40.27-1 in the Kentucky Derby, Owen Almighty somewhat validated trainer Brian Lynch's faith in him with a fifth-place finish in the 19-horse field, beaten a total of nine lengths.

Grade 2-placed winner Tempers Rising, by Bayern, is the dam (mother) of Owen Almighty.