BloodHorse Information Editor Byron King introduces the 2026 Derby Weekly as he profiles the principle contenders for the Kentucky Derby, to be hosted by Woodford Reserve on Might 2nd.
Two essential Derby prep video games are scheduled for Saturday, March 21: the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby on the Fairgrounds and the Jeff Ruby Steak at Turfway Park.
Try America’s Finest Racing’s Triple Crown web page for the newest tales and stats on the street to the Kentucky Derby.
1. Paladin
The winner of the Feb. 14 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes completed as the favourite in the newest Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which ended March 15, however the horse’s 8-1 odds and slim value unfold over different contenders mirror how open bettors view this yr’s potential Kentucky Derby race. It is clear why Paladin is optimistic. He’s undefeated in three races, has received two graded stakes at 1 1/8 miles, and has a superb pedigree. Scheduled to run within the Toyota Blue Grass S to be held at Keeneland on April 4th. This race has been received by coach Chad Brown 3 times since 2018.
2. Commandment
The winner of the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes on February twenty eighth returned to work at 50pm on March thirteenth in a half-mile wind at Payson Park Coaching Heart. Fifteen Fountain of Youth offspring have received the Derby, together with Sovereignty, who received each races within the 2025 Horse of the 12 months marketing campaign. Coach Brad Cox has a 1-0-2 report within the Derby with 12 starters and enters the Barras in 2021 with Mandalone, who was promoted from first to second after Medina Spirit was disqualified for a medicine violation.
3.Virtually
The Curlin Florida Derby on March twenty eighth will see the colt Commandment face off in opposition to different colts at Gulfstream Park. This race has produced extra Derby winners (26) than some other prep horse. Neary had a busy schedule early on at Gulfstream, highlighted by a win within the Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 31, however two-time Kentucky Derby winner and Corridor of Fame coach Todd Pletcher stored him out of Fountain of Youth to maintain the colt recent for the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby in 5 weeks. He has equally ready among the eight Florida Derby winners, together with Fierceness (third place within the 2024 Holy Bull) and Audible (winner within the 2018 Holy Bull).
4. Chief Wallaby
His slim second-place end within the Fountain of Youth Stakes, his second profession begin, inspired many to look ahead to his future. Like Paladin, he had 8 wins and 1 loss in the newest Kentucky Derby Future Wager, however his value was barely larger and he grew to become my second selection. It’s clear to many who this stallion has an enormous benefit and his inexperience doesn’t appear to be a drawback within the Derby because it as soon as was. Because the flip of the century, Large Brown (2008), Justify (2018) and Mage (2023) have received the Derby in simply three begins. Chief Wallaby is predicted to be the third Florida Derby begin for Corridor of Fame coach Invoice Mott, who has received two Kentucky Derbies.
5. Class president
He didn’t run like an untested horse on the Degree S monitor on March 1st. Heading in midfield, he fought again to seal victory with a valiant effort. Class President’s solely loss in three races was the seven-furlong Swale Stakes behind Solitude Dude, and the 3-year-old is maybe the perfect two-year sprinter in South Florida. After touring all the best way from Florida to Arkansas for Insurgent, search for Todd Pletcher to offer him just a little extra time between begins and run him in both the Bluegrass or Wooden Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct in early April. Bluegrass has Grade 1 attraction.
6. Ways of silence
Respect his consistency and structure. He has completed first or second in all 5 of his begins, and this yr he’s anticipated to compete in all preludes to the main 3-year-old Kentucky Derby at Oaklawn Park, main as much as the March 28 Arkansas Derby. Though he misplaced to the category president at stage, he realized his rival’s weight and carried out properly, simply as he received the Southwest Stakes with a strong punch. Corridor of Fame coach Mark Casse has received the Triple Crown’s different races, the 2019 Preakness Stakes at Struggle of Will and the 2019 Belmont Stakes at Sir Winston, and Silent Tactic offers him a stable probability to pursue that elusive Derby victory.
7. Renegade
Todd Pletcher just isn’t anticipated to ship Class President again to Oak Garden for the Arkansas Derby, however search for him to compete in Arkansas with this stallion. The interval since Renegade received the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 7 fits him properly for the journey from Florida, the place he has been coaching steadily. The Sam F. Davis hasn’t been as influential as a lead-up race in recent times as different 3-year-old stakes, however this yr’s race was justified, as evidenced by third-place finisher The Puma’s victory within the Esmark Tampa Bay Derby on March seventh. Contemplating this stallion’s robust efficiency final yr in opposition to Paladin, all of those components add as much as make him a robust Derby contender.
8. Additional Preface
Those that imagine in track-ready horses would contemplate him a bluegrass candidate for Keeneland. He was sensational final fall in opposition to maidens on the principle course, profitable by 20 lengths and posting the perfect pace of his profession. His subsequent two efforts, whereas nonetheless promising, are clearly not on the similar stage, if not higher. He was a workman’s winner within the Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes held at Churchill Downs final fall, and completed second within the Tampa Bay Derby, outperforming each the primary and third runners. He seems to have the potential to enhance additional in his second look this yr.
9. Puma
His journey within the Tampa Bay Derby was tough as he was hung huge at each turns after beginning with a poor draw, however he nonetheless received by three-quarters of a size on the finish. Though the ultimate time was middling, it was a stable efficiency determine contemplating floor loss. Lots of his connections, together with coach Gustavo Delgado, jockey Javier Castellano and among the stallion’s house owners, had success with Mage, who raced flippantly within the Derby just a few years in the past. This yr, he’s sure to have sufficient qualifying factors to enter the race alongside the Tampa Bay Derby winner.
10. Highly effective
Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert and his Speedway secure have had nice success collectively, together with Group 1 wins with horses like Collected, Cornish and Roadster. The latter could possibly be a scheduled race for Potente, who received the 2019 Santa Anita Derby and improved to 2-2 with a victory within the San Felipe Stakes Introduced by DK Horses on March 7 at Santa Anita Park. Whereas the subsequent place appears logical, Baffert all the time likes to maintain his choices open and adjustments the lineup and who he runs based mostly on the 3-year-old’s coaching scenario.
11. Reagan’s Honor
If he does not have Derby factors, how he performs within the Bluegrass will decide whether or not the Derby is held. A high two end is required to comfortably safe sufficient qualifying factors to get into the beginning gate, however Bluegrass has some excellent horses, together with top-ranked Paladin. Reagan’s Honor ran rapidly within the 1st Degree Allowance Firm on the Fairgrounds on February 19, however benefited from an excellent journey within the entrance run. He isn’t as stocky as some, however he has a knack for sustaining pace on routes. Two of his wins in three profession begins have are available in races close to Flip 2 in Louisiana.
12. Cherokee Nation
He had dangerous racing luck in a few of his first 5 begins, a few of which had been stakes. Issues lastly rotated within the sixth race, and he confirmed the potential to steer by 10 lengths in his super-fast first race at Santa Anita on February twenty seventh. A great attract an extended race just like the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby ought to give him loads of time to comfortably safe his desired place close to the tempo. The beforehand ranked Canaletto is subsequent anticipated to run within the Stone Road Lexington Stakes on April 11 at Keeneland (a non-points race on the best way to the Kentucky Derby), making it unlikely that the sunshine race stallion shall be named to the Derby and opening up a subject for Cherokee Nation’s Derbyders, who will beat the likes of Incredibold and Chip Honcho for the ultimate spot.
