Speed King

Speed King broke his maiden at first asking in a 2-year-old race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 1, 2024. He then went to Remington Park to make his second start in the $300,000 Springboard Mile Stakes, where he nearly led wire-to-wire until getting caught by a half a length in the late stages to finish second. The Springboard Mile was a points race on the road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby, and with his runner-up finish, Coal Battle picked up five Derby qualifying points.

Speed King made a big splash in his first start as a 3-year-old when he was victorious in the Grade 3 $1 million Southwest Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on Jan. 25, 2025. Speed King established the early lead atop a nine-horse field in the Southwest and never looked back, at one point leading by as much as 3 1/2 lengths in the stretch on his way to a one-length win under strong urging at the finish. The Southwest Stakes was a points race on the Road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, and with his victory he earned 20 qualifying points to raise his overall total including the Springboard Mile placing to 25 points.

Speed King is trained by Ron Moquett. He was bred in Kentucky by the sire Volatile out of the mare Athenian Beauty by Corinthian.