Wimbledon Hawkeye: ‘almost like a human trapped in a horse’s body’
(Coady Media photos)
Video: Sunday morning convo with James Owen’s assistant trainer Ryan King and Wimbledon Hawkeye’s training rider Laura Pearson.
FRANKLIN, Ky. (Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025) — Wimbledon Hawkeye took the money and ran.
The British-based 3-year-old aced his American debut, winning Saturday’s $3.5 million G3 DK Horse Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs and leaving Sunday morning — $1 million richer — to van to Chicago for the flight back to England.
The win — by a head over Burnham Square — gave jockey Frankie Dettori back-to-back Nashville Derby victories on a horse from England, following Bellum Justum last year.
“Bit of a whirlwind, really,” Ryan King, assistant trainer to trainer James Owen, said of the trip. “Frankie gave him a great ride…. Took four or five lengths on the field, and when that other horse came to him, he battled really hard. He’s got a big heart, this horse…. Frankie said when the horse came to him, he sort of pushed him in to get him to really fight. And, boy, did he do that.
“He’s run a lot of times in England this year. He’s done everything. It’s a question coming over whether they’re going to take the traveling, but he took it really well. Now that we know he takes it, he can come back here, he can go anywhere in the world and pick up lots of money, hopefully.”
While noting that it’s tough for a 3-year-old to win the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at 1 1/2 miles, King did not completely discount that race at Del Mar. There are other international options, he said, including races at Aqueduct and Bahrain.
While King had been to Keeneland before with a horse, this was his first time at Kentucky Downs and Churchill Downs, where Wimbledon Hawkeye cleared quarantine.
“Everyone has been so friendly,” he said. “Made the trip really easy, from people at Churchill to people at Kentucky Downs. For sure, we’re going to come back to America. Definitely Kentucky Downs.”
King said he did not join Owen or owner Tim Gredley for an evening in Nashville to celebrate.
“I probably would not have made the lorrie (horse van) home if I’d headed with them,” he said. “I just had a quiet one and made sure the horse was fine. Just delighted. It was great to be here.”
The outcome was huge for the stable, with Owen having trained thoroughbreds on the flat less than three years.
“Our stats have just gotten better and better,” King said. “We’ve gotten more horses. And to come over here and win a big pot, the messages we’ve had from back home have been crazy. I’m speechless still. Everyone at home is delighted. Big team effort.”
Part of that team was Laura Pearson, a jockey in the U.K. who was available while serving an eight-day suspension for hitting a horse with the whip twice over the limit. Pearson also works for Owen in the mornings and was enlisted to come over to get on Wimbledon Hawkeye in Kentucky.
“He’s done everything right to deserve this trip,” said Pearson, in the United States for the first time. “It’s been amazing to come over and see how everything is different here.
“I went two over on a winner the other month, so I got a lovely eight-day ban that fell into this working holiday, we’ll call it. Yeah, I was really lucky to come here…. I love it. I was a bit skeptical the first day I was on the track at Churchill. But once I kind of figured out how it all worked, I really enjoyed the trip…. (Kentucky Downs) is obviously a lot different than any American track I was expecting to come to. It’s very much like a European track, kind of a mix of a few that we’ve got in our country. It’s a lovely place.”
Pearson said she’s noticed big changes in Wimbledon Hawkeye.
“He’s just grown mentally and physically,” she said. “He’s such a clever horse. 
…. The first day he got here, he assumed he was racing, so he livened up. But by Friday he’d gone back asleep again. He’s so clever. Once he knew he was racing again Saturday, he grew another two hands.”
While not eligible to compete for the $1.5 million out the $3.5 million that is
restricted to Kentucky-bred runners, Wimbledon Hawkeye still earned more than $1 million for his efforts.
“The prize money here is just completely gravy than it is in the U.K.,” Pearson said. “It makes the whole trip worth it.”
The three British-based horses departed Sunday morning, the others being $2 million The Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint (G2) third-place finisher Khaadem and Cheshire Dancer, who finished fourth in the $2 million Resolute Racing Ladies Turf (G3).
The two German horses, one being $1 million Mountain Dew Bowling Green Gold Cup winner Flatten the Curve, are scheduled to fly home on Wednesday.
Flatten the Curve gave trainer Henk Grewe and jockey Thore Hammer Hansen their first U.S. victories.
“He’s really a horse for the long distances,” said assistant trainer Fabio Marcialis, who accompanied Flatten the Curve to America. “Maybe he’ll go to the Melbourne Cup. He’s the best horse in Germany for long distances. It’s not every day that a horse from Germany can win in America. It was amazing. I hope to come back soon.”
Ian Wilkes, trainer of DK Horse Nashville Derby runner-up Burnham Square, said the gelding will get the rest of the year off and point to a 2026 turf campaign. Burnham Square battled Wimbledon Hawkeye the final eighth-mile before losing on a head bob.
“He came out of the race well, but he’ll have a break now,” Wilkes said. “He’s had a long year. I need to give him a break and bring him back next year. We’ll keep him on the grass.”
He said he believes Burnham Square, already a Grade 1 winner on dirt with his performance in Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass, can be a Grade 1 winner on turf as well. Kentucky Downs will definitely be a target.
“He’s a gelding, I’ve got to take care of him,” Wilkes said. “I’d like to have him here as an 8-year-old.”
Saturday’s video
Video clip: Winning trainer James Owen
Video clip: Winning jockey Frankie Dettori
Video: Stretch run of Nashville Derby (If this dropbox link does not work, email [email protected] and we’ll send it to you as a google drive link)
Video: Winner’s circle presentation with KY Gov. Andy Beshear (courtesy NBC)
