Picture: Bentley Breland/Eclipse Sportswire
golden time Saturday’s Grade 2 discipline of eight 3-year-olds headlines $500,000. Risen Star Stakes The Fairgrounds would be the first Kentucky Derby prep recreation of the season, with qualifying factors awarded to the highest 5 finishers at 50-25-15-10-5.
The 1 1/8-mile Risen Star, the third of 4 regional prep races on the Derby course, is scheduled because the finale of Saturday’s 12-race card. First posted on Saturday, February fifteenth at midday CST.
Golden Tempo began a dramatic last-to-first rally within the LeConte Stakes (G3), with the Shelley Devaux-trained colt surging from the rear and ending alongside the rail in entrance of fellow stablemate Mesquite. With a report of two:2-0-0, the homegrown horse earned 20 Derby qualifying factors with Lecomte’s victory, inserting him close to the highest of the lively leaderboard. Golden Tempo, drawn in Put up 2, might be reunited with Jose Ortiz, the event’s main jockey.
His prime challenger is believed to be Paladin, educated by Chad Brown. Paladin is undefeated in two races and gained the Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct in December, incomes him 10 Derby qualifying factors. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who gained the 2024 Sierra Leone race with Brown, has accepted the decision and can coach Paladin from put up 4.
A courtship begins with coach Todd Pletcher, who goals to show the tables on Paladin. The stallion Karlin ran in Remsen however had a troublesome time ending in fourth place. The courtroom will draw put up 7, and Corridor of Famer John Velasquez might be within the irons.
Universe will make his first begin on the native Derby course beneath coach Kenny McPeek. He entered the sector with 13 qualifying factors from in-the-money finishes within the Kentucky Jockey Membership (G2), Road Sense (G3) and Champagne (G1), however completed with a disappointing seventh place within the Smarty Jones. Christopher Elliott was named rider.
Different candidates embrace Gun Runner winner Chip Honcho, who completed fourth in Steve Asmussen’s Lecomte, and gamely pushed Carson Road, who completed third in Brendan Walsh’s Lecomte.
| no. | silk | horse/stallion | analysis | Coach/Jockey | final begin | state of affairs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | universe international marketing campaign | 7.26 | Kenneth McPeek christopher elliott | seventh place (92), 2026 Smarty Jones LS | I entered | |
| ultimate race | seventh place (92), 2026 Smarty Jones LS | |||||
| 2 | golden time curl | 7.34 | Shelley Deveaux Jose Ortiz | 1st (104), 2026 Lecomte G3 | I entered | |
| ultimate race | 1st (104), 2026 Lecomte G3 | |||||
| 3 | carson road road sense | 7.04 | brendan walsh ben curtis | third place (103), 2026 Lecomte G3 | I entered | |
| ultimate race | third place (103), 2026 Lecomte G3 | |||||
| 4 | paladin gun runner | 7.80 | chad brown Tyler Gaffalione | 1st (108), 2025 Remsen G2 | I entered | |
| ultimate race | 1st (108), 2025 Remsen G2 | |||||
| 5 | chip honcho join | 6.56 | Stephen Asmussen Luis Saez | 4th place (102), 2026 Lecomte G3 | I entered | |
| ultimate race | 4th place (102), 2026 Lecomte G3 | |||||
| 6 | colt forty seven bolt d’oro | J. Keith Desormeaux james graham | 2nd place (98), FG AlwOC (1/17/26-R3) | I entered | ||
| ultimate race | 2nd place (98), FG AlwOC (1/17/26-R3) | |||||
| 7 | courtship curl | 6.89 | tod plecher John Velasquez | 4th place (99), 2025 Remsen G2 | I entered | |
| ultimate race | 4th place (99), 2025 Remsen G2 | |||||
| 8 | high quality mischief Mischievously | 6.23 | brad cox Florent Geroux | fifth place (100), 2026 Lecomte G3 | I entered | |
| ultimate race | fifth place (100), 2026 Lecomte G3 | |||||
