Tip Top Thomas wins record setting Indiana Derby

Tip Top Thomas and Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez turned a trip to Indiana into a successful journey, winning the 31^st running of the Indiana Derby Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The duo covered the one and one-sixteenth mile event in a time of 1:41.15, a new track record for the distance.

The event also marked a new all-sources handle record with wagering of more than $9.1 million.

Master Controller and Chris Emigh had the most speed out of the gate and crossed over from post two for the early lead. Tip Top Thomas and Velazquez went right with him and put a neck ahead down the first portion of the backstretch run before Master Controller came back.

Around the final turn, Tip Top Thomas had the lead with horses from the back primed and ready to attack.

In the stretch, it was Tip Top Thomas who had to be caught. Coal Battle and Corey Lanerie were making every effort to catch him and get the win, but Tip Top Thomas held his ground all the way to the wire. Coal Battle finished second over Brotha Keny and Joe Ramos, who closed in the final strides for third.

“He (Tip Top Thomas) wasn’t standing as good as I wanted him to in the gate,” noted Velazquez (photo). “The first jump out of the gate wasn't very good. I knew the horse on the inside [Master Controller] was going to go to the lead. Just wasn't in the first few jumps out of there, and then he got aggressive. I was told not to be in the mouth too much because he throws his head up. He was going quickly, kind of relaxed, giving me a good feeling.

“At the three-eighths pole, when they came at him, and I asked him, he was game. I love that. I love it when they come to him, and you ask them for more and they give it to you. He fought the whole way down the stretch. When I went with him [Coal Battle], I knew he wasn't going to pass me."

The connections of second-place finisher Coal Battle were pleased with their colt’s performance.

“I think he ran a great race,” said assistant trainer Bethany Taylor to Lonnie Briley. “He always comes and puts 100 percent out. I think if we hadn’t been forced to move at the half-mile pole with the seven horse (Big Truzz) making a way early move, I think we probably would have been able to win the race. But Corey (Lanerie) did the right thing, going with the seven horse up on the outside of him. Once again, he’s proven he belongs with these horses. We’re proud of him.”

Robbie Norman, owner of Coal Battle also commented, “Just a very good race. Hat’s off to Tip Top Thomas. He ran a wonderful race, and we were right there with him. I watched the replay of Tip Top Thomas’ last race, and he’d won on the lead. Corey said track bias today was not to be passing the leaders. But I think Coal Battle ran a great race, and we’re very proud of him.”

Tip Top Thomas paid $7.40 for the win. The three-year-old son of Volatile is owned by Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister. Todd Pletcher won his first Indiana Derby as trainer of Tip Top Thomas.

“I thought it was very game against a solid field and a more-seasoned horse that he was able to hold off,” said Pletcher via phone with Jennie Rees, who was assisting with media for the Indiana Derby. “So, I thought it was a big effort first time around two turns. We thought he would handle it, but it was great to see him do it.

“We felt like it was a good fit, timing-wise it was good. It wasn’t too far of a ship and all that.”

Tip Top Thomas earned his third win in his fifth career start. The big chestnut colt is now two for three in 2025 and nearly doubled his career bankroll to more than $209,000. It was his first time competing at the distance in the track record performance.

“We were very high on him (Tip Top Thomas),” added Pletcher. “We thought enough off his maiden win to run him back in the Champagne and he finished a good second in there. Talked about possibly going to the Breeders’ Cup and decided we’d give him a little bit of a freshening and try to gear up for spring-summer campaign, which so far has worked out well.”

When asked if Tip Top Thomas was ever a potential Kentucky Derby horse earlier this year, Pletcher replied, “We talked about it and felt like he wasn’t a mile and a quarter horse, and if we gave him time and continued to let him develop, he’d stretch out and be a mile and a sixteenth, maybe a mile and an eighth horse. I think he ran well enough today that we can consider different distances. We’ll probably stay off the Travers trail but look at another race similar to today.”

For Velazquez, it was the third win on the day. He also connected with Dana’s Beauty in the $100,000 Indiana General Assembly Distaff Handicap as well as Willy D’s in the $100,000 Michael G. Schaefer Memorial. Hailed as one of the greatest jockeys to ever sit in a saddle, the Multiple Graded Stakes winning jockey with more than 6,700 career wins has won three Kentucky Derby races and numerous Breeders’ Cups.

"Every time you go to people like him [Todd Pletcher], they know that the horses are live wherever they go,” noted Velazquez. “I've been very fortunate to be a part of the team for a long time. So, you trust the people you ride for, and Todd has been my No. 1 supporter. I never rode him [Tip Top Thomas] before or worked him. The only thing he [Todd Pletcher] told me was to stay away from his mouth, that's it. Great performance, you gotta give it to him [Tip Top Thomas] whenever you ask him, he'll give you more." 

The previous track record time of 1:41.19 was set in 2011 by Brazilian bred Jardim and jockey Marlon St. Julien in the $105,000 Golden Bear Stakes. Tip Top Thomas now adds his name to the record books for the distance at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Another record will be updated at the track. A total of $1,585,681 was wagered on the Indiana Derby race which catapulted the overall handle to more than $9.163 million, more than $1 million over last year’s track record for all-sources handle at $8.147 million.

More than 5,100 were in attendance during the afternoon program, also a jump from the previous year’s count.

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