Risen Star Stakes: Built can continue constructing Kentucky Derby résumé
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The Kentucky Derby trail gets real Saturday, February 15 at Fair Grounds with the Grade 2, $500,000 Risen Star Stakes! The race covers 1 ⅛ miles on the dirt at Fair Grounds, and drew a talented field of 13 to compete. Not only are they running for a huge purse, but with 50-25-15-10-5 Road to the Kentucky Derby points for its top five finishers, it is the first Kentucky Derby prep that virtually assures its winner a spot in the Run for the Roses!
The most proven horses in the Risen Star include Grade 1 winner East Avenue, Grade 3 winner Jonathan’s Way, and Gun Runner winner Built. However, they also have to tackle new faces like Todd Pletcher trainee Vassimo. With horses liable to take steps forward early in their three-year-old season, this will be a thrilling race to watch and a lucrative one to bet!
Read on to find out who is most likely to make huge strides on the way to the Kentucky Derby, and see the best places to bet the Risen Star Stakes online!
Betting the 2025 Risen Star Stakes Online
Before you start to think about the horses in the Risen Star, it is important to know the best places to bet the Risen Star Stakes online. It will make betting convenient, since online betting sites let you bet from anywhere. Furthermore, choosing the right online betting site for your wagering style will help you pick the best bonuses to supercharge your bankroll!
There are many options for betting online, but our trusted online racebook reviews will help make that decision as quick and easy as possible. Every recommended site has the basics like trusted payouts, market-leading odds, and great user interfaces.
Our reviews will also help you pick the best racebook bonus offers. Those include sign-up and deposit bonuses, referral benefits, and even rebates that pay you cash or wagering credit for every bet you make! Taking a few minutes now to find out which ones will pay you the most will help you grow your bankroll by hundreds or even thousands of dollars quickly!
The Best Online Racebooks
These are the best places for you to create an account and bet on the 2025 Risen Star Stakes:
| Rank | Racebook | Bonus | Review | Link to site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |  | $250 Free Bet on Props + Head-to-Heads | VISIT RACEBOOK! | |
| #2 |  | 100% Sign Up Bonus - Up to $500 | VISIT RACEBOOK! | |
| #3 |  | 50% up to $1,000 + $25 Risk Free Bet + 7% Rebates | VISIT RACEBOOK! | |
| #4 |  | 50% sign-up bonus up to $1000 + 8% rebate | VISIT RACEBOOK! | |
| #5 |  | Up to 13% Weekly Loyalty Rewards | VISIT RACEBOOK! | |
| #6 |  | 50% sign-up bonus up to $250 | VISIT RACEBOOK! | |
| #7 |  | $100 Free Bet on Props + Head-to-Heads! | VISIT RACEBOOK! |
Risen Star Stakes Handicapping
Now that you have your betting account ready to go, it is time to handicap the 2025 Risen Star Stakes.
Risen Star Stakes 2025 Field
This is the official field for the 2025 Risen Star Stakes including draw numbers, trainers, and jockeys for each horse.
- American Promise (D. Wayne Lukas/Keith Asmussen)
- Jonathan’s Way (Philip Bauer/Jose Ortiz)
- Vassimo (Todd Pletcher/Irad Ortiz, Jr.)
- East Avenue (Brendan Walsh/Tyler Gaffalione)
- Chunk of Gold (Ethan West/Abel Cedillo)
- Seattle Road (Tom Amoss/Marcelino Pedroza)
- Septarian (Chad Brown/Flavien Prat)
- Giocoso (Keith Desormeaux/Jaime Torres)
- Built (Wayne Catalano/Luis Saez)
- Render Judgment (Kenny McPeek/Brian Hernandez, Jr.)
- Jolly Samurai (Danny Pish/Jake Brown)
- Vamos Carlitos (Greg Foley/Florent Geroux)
- Magnitude (Steve Asmussen/Ben Curtis)
Closer to race day the track will release morning-line odds, which can be a good guide to how betting is expected to go. However, those prices do not guarantee what you’ll get on track if your horse wins.
The best bet in the Risen Star Stakes is to play at a top online racebook. By betting online you can take advantage of fixed-odds wagering on major races, meaning you can lock in your price just by placing a bet. And, you can build bonuses for every wager you make, better incentives than you will ever find at the track
Risen Star Stakes Win Candidates
East Avenue is the likely favorite, but with so much pace in the race, it makes sense to look for alternatives if there are. And, with this being a deep early-season prep, there are a lot of alternatives.
Built was narrowly defeated in the Lecomte (G3) last out, but showed a lot of grit from a bad post when rallying for second and just being nailed late. In addition to being a good graded-stakes debut, it showed he could run a good race even when he wasn’t right on or near the lead. That versatility and a better post both speak well for his chances.
Jonathan’s Way still has yet to win at two turns but still shows promise at a longer trip. He had a sluggish pace to chase last out in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and kept on with solid late pace to finish a gaining second in that race. With a lot more speed likely to materalize in this spot, this son of Vekoma has a right to start his sophomore season right.
Chad Brown knows how to train a two-turn horse, making Septarian interesting on the stretch out. All his starts so far have come at one turn, but with some appealing distance pedigree on both sides, a good middle gate, tactical speed, and the best big-race jockey in current times in Flavien Prat? Septarian looks ready for his coming-out party.
Risen Star Stakes Exotic Candidates
Though he was seventh in the Lecomte, there are multiple reasons Seattle Road can make better account at a big price. In the Lecomte, he was mired in the 13 post, and still managed to rally from near last to get up to be beaten less than four lengths. The pace could be even sharper this time, and he has a better middle gate. Especially if the footing turns up better than it did on Lecomte day, he looks like the price horse for exotics.
Vassimo has raced only twice, and makes his stakes debut in this spot. However, Todd Pletcher has often moved his lightly-raced runners forward at this time of year, often in New Orleans. Irad Ortiz keeping the faith in the irons is a good thing. The question is pace, as he has been forward in both his starts to date. But, if he can rate kindly against these better horses, he should at least be in the picture late.
2025 Risen Star Stakes Free Picks
You have gotten to know the horses, and you have your betting account at the ready. Now there’s just one thing left to do: place your bets on the races!
These are the expert best bets for Saturday’s 2025 Risen Star Stakes:
- $20 to win - #9 Built
- $1 exacta key - #9 Built with #2 Jonathan’s Way, #7 Septarian
- $0.50 trifecta key - #9 Built with #2 Jonathan’s Way, #6 Seattle Road, #7 Septarian
- $0.10 superfecta key - #9 Built with #2 Jonathan’s Way, #3 Vassimo, #6 Seattle Road, #7 Septarian
Risen Star Stakes Post Time
Post time for the 2025 Risen Star Stakes is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, February 15 at Fair Grounds. It is the 14th and final race of a massive card that features six stakes races, including four graded events!
