BloodHorse Information Editor Byron King introduces the 2026 Derby Weekly as he profiles the primary contenders for the Kentucky Derby, to be hosted by Woodford Reserve on Could 2nd.
Three 200-point Kentucky Derby prep races are scheduled for Saturday. Toyota Bluegrass S at Keeneland. Wooden Memorial Stakes offered by Resorts World On line casino in Suidobashi. and the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park.
Take a look at America’s Greatest Racing’s Triple Crown web page for the most recent tales and stats on the street to the Kentucky Derby.
1. Renegade
It was an “superb” efficiency within the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on March twenty eighth. Silent Tactic, who ended up in second place, had an ideal run and took the lead on the entrance of the lane, permitting Renegade to cost proper by and win by 4 lengths. Renegade’s 1 1/8-mile time was 1:49.70, leading to an Equibase pace ranking of 107 and a Beyer pace ranking of 98, each profession highs. The colt confirmed nice progress in his two begins as a 3-year-old, in addition to when he ran behind Paladin within the Remsen Stakes in late 2025, shifting him to the highest of the Derbyders class that had Paladin sidelined.
2. Commandments
Saturday’s Curlin Florida Derby Introduced by Hill and Dale Farms at Xalapa at Gulfstream Park did not go nicely for Nearer, however he nonetheless discovered a solution to come out on prime. Nonetheless, his nostril win over The Puma may have gone both method relying on the headbob, and Chief Wallaby completed simply half a size behind in third, exhibiting simply how aggressive this group of Florida natives is. The Florida Derby was a prestigious race with 4 horses ranked in final week’s Derbyders taking part. A kind of horses, Neary, was dropped from the rankings as a result of he light late within the Florida Derby and solely had 35 qualifying factors for the Kentucky Derby.
3. Chief Wallaby
Though he completed third within the Florida Derby, his future will brighten as he beneficial properties expertise. Seems to be like he is nonetheless studying. Chief Wallaby regarded loaded when he set the tempo within the Florida Derby with jockey Junior Alvarado, however was solely in a position to present a delicate punch within the closing levels. “Not solely was he working with the reins on, however when Junior let the horse go, I believed he was in all probability going to get just a little extra pace,” Corridor of Fame coach Invoice Mott mentioned. “However, you recognize, it is solely his third race they usually need to study that. He has extra expertise and it wasn’t a nasty race. It was race.”
4. Puma
Not solely does he run for a lot of of Mage’s connections, however he additionally shares different similarities with the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner. Mage additionally completed second within the Florida Derby, one size behind Forte. (The Derby showdown between Forte and Mage by no means occurred as a result of the previous was a regulated veterinarian with a bruised foot.) Simply as Mage ran nicely regardless of dropping the Florida Derby, so did Puma, who raced away by a large margin on the finish. The race was an in depth photograph end, so even in slow-motion replays, most individuals did not know precisely who received till the standings judges introduced the official outcomes. Puma’s model appears to have the ability to journey far and vast.
5. Class president
The Degree S winner will return on April 4th on the Toyota Bluegrass S at Keeneland. Corridor of Fame coach Todd Pletcher has received the race 4 instances, most just lately with the 2023 Tapit Trice. Class President’s presence at Blue Grass has given him about 5 weeks off since beating Silent Tactic by a nostril on the March 1 degree, giving him a barely longer restoration time in comparison with final weekend’s preparation interval when coach Pletcher ran different horses. In comparison with Saturday’s Wooden Memorial Stakes Introduced by Resorts World On line casino, Class President may also have the possibility to problem for a Grade 1 in entrance of the Kentucky colts.
6. Ways of silence
It is inconceivable to look at the Arkansas Derby as soon as or 5 instances and conclude that Silent Tactic was the second finest automobile after Renegade. The latter was higher, no less than at Oaklawn Park, the place he raced 1 1/8 miles on the final Saturday in March. Not since Genuine received the Derby in 2020, which was postponed because of the coronavirus, has a Kentucky Derby winner grabbed a begin proper earlier than the Derby. A few of the earlier Prep runners-up (Mage, Sovereignty) didn’t need to face their victorious opponents because the winner was unable to compete because of bodily setbacks.
7. Rising markets
Paladin’s absence makes him coach Chad Brown’s favourite for the Derby (Wooden Memorial runner Iron Honor can be included). Though Rising Market was one head behind runner-up Pavlovian and one size behind finisher Golden Tempo within the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby on March 21 (each prone to be no less than 20-1 on Derby Day), the colt nonetheless deserves respect. Not many horses discover speedy success in graded stakes races after profitable their first race, setting out on a brand new observe, and growing their distance. Nonetheless, he dealt with all of them. However they’ll in all probability have to go just a little additional if they’re to beat the demanding crew they’ll face within the derby.
8. Additional Preface
Spendthrift Farm had the misfortune of getting their champion 2-year-old colt, Ted Nophy, sit out this spring, however there may be nonetheless an opportunity he’ll run within the Derby with the colt who received final fall’s Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes at Churchill Downs. Saturday’s Bluegrass is a race he has no excuses for. His quickest race was a 20-length lead on the primary line at Keeneland as a teenager, and he now begins three lengths after coming from behind to complete second to Florida Derby runner-up The Puma within the Esmark Tampa Bay Derby on March 7.
9. Highly effective
He and fellow Bob Baffert trainee Cherokee Nation tied for second and first place, respectively, in Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby. At the very least Potente is a horse that may come again from off-pace if different horses cross him for place on the run to the primary nook. Cherokee Nation, alternatively, looks like a stallion who likes to run in sunny locations, which means that securing such a spot will probably require a cautious begin and hustle techniques from his rider. Unbeaten in two races, Potente will as soon as once more face Robusta and So Glad, who completed second and third once they received the DK Horse Introduced by San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 7.
10. Pavlovian
The Sunland Park Derby winner and Louisiana Derby runner-up is aiming to develop into the fifth California-bred horse to win the Derby, the primary since California Chrome in 2014. California Chrome dominated the state-bred class, and whereas the stallion definitely wasn’t final 12 months or this winter, his two open stakes races in February and March after Brinker’s re-addition have been very encouraging. The colour additionally accelerated his pace.
11. Incredivolt
He was inspired by the way in which he bounced again from sixth place within the Holy Bull Stakes on January thirty first and received the Virginia Derby Introduced by New Kent County on March 14th. He fought by the visitors in a straight line and completed strongly, profitable by 4 horse lengths. Though he didn’t end within the prime three-year-old class on this race, as you’ll count on from a non-graded one-turn race in March, Incredivolt was praised for his model and ease of profitable. Let’s additionally acknowledge his success across the flip and at Churchill Downs, the place he received the 1 1/16-mile Avenue Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs final 12 months.
12. Reagan’s Honor
With out current Derby factors, a 1-2 end in Saturday’s Blue Grass is required to get into the beginning gate for the Kentucky Derby. After breaking his maiden within the First Degree Allowance Competitors on February nineteenth on the Fairgrounds, Bluegrass will conduct a category take a look at. He was quick even towards lesser opponents. In incomes this allowance, he coated 1 1/16 miles in 1 minute 42.02 seconds, simply shy of the Olympic 2022 Mineshaft Stakes document time of 1 minute 42.01 seconds, which was his eventual Group 1 winner.
