Spice Runner

Spice Runner joined the 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby as early as possible, claiming victory in the series-opening Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs.

Spice Runner raced greenly down the homestretch of the one-mile race, drifting around the track while pursuing heavy favorite Comport. But in the final strides, he got up to win by a head.

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Napoleon Solo

Napoleon Solo joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a tremendous performance in the Champagne (G1), leading all the way to dominate by 6 1/2 lengths.

Speed is clearly a strong suit for Napoleon Solo. In the Champagne, he set blazing fractions of :22.53, :44.24, and 1:07.88 on his way to a final time of 1:34.57 for one mile. But does he have the necessary stamina to last 1 1/4 miles in the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1)?

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Intrepido

In recent years, the dominant sire (and grandsire) of Kentucky Derby (G1) winners has been Into Mischief.

Since 2020, Into Mischief has sired a record-equaling three Derby winners: Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (2021), and Sovereignty (2025). In addition, Into Mischief’s son Goldencents sired 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, which means Into Mischief is either the sire or grandsire of four of the last six Derby winners.

Perhaps Into Mischief’s sire line will strike again in the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1). His son Maximum Mischief is the sire of Intrepido, who unleashed a big late rally to win the American Pharoah (G1) on the 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby.

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Ted Noffey

In the 151-year history of the Kentucky Derby (G1), only five stallions have sired three winners of the Run for the Roses. The latest to match the record is Into Mischief, courtesy of his sons Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (2021), and Sovereignty (2025).

Into Mischief has ranked as North America’s leading sire by progeny earnings every year since 2019. Now he’s poised to become the first stallion to sire four Kentucky Derby winners.

One of Into Mischief’s top contenders for the 2026 Kentucky Derby is Ted Noffey. The undefeated gray colt is already a three-time Grade 1 winner, having dominated the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga, the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, and the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar.

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Incredibolt

Incredibolt joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby sooner than many horses. The early-maturing colt won the Street Sense (G3) during the fall meet at Churchill Downs with a last-to-first rally.

It isn’t surprising to see Incredibolt excelling from an early age. His sire, Bolt d’Oro, was a star two-year-old who won the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and FrontRunner (G1) before finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

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Further Ado 

Further Ado joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a rallying win in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs.

A decade ago, the Kentucky Jockey Club marked the stakes debut of Further Ado’s sire, Gun Runner. The future 2017 Horse of the Year struggled in the Kentucky Jockey Club, finishing fourth, but matured to win 10 graded stakes (including six Grade 1s) and finish third in the 2016 Kentucky Derby.

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SATONO VOYAGE

Into Mischief has been the dominant sire of Kentucky Derby (G1) winners in recent years. He’s sired a record-equaling three winners of the Run for the Roses: Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (2021), and Sovereignty (2025). In addition, he’s the grandsire of the 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan.

Now Into Mischief is launching a multinational assault on the 2026 Kentucky Derby. In the U.S., he’s the sire of probable champion two-year-old male Ted Noffey. And in Japan, he’s the sire of Satono Voyage, who kicked off the 2025-26 Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby with a sharp success in the Cattleya S. at Tokyo Racecourse.

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PALADIN

A decade after Gun Runner finished third in the 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1), he’s making an impressive impact on the 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Gun Runner’s son, Spice Runner, won the first leg of the series, the Iroquois (G3). Later on, Gun Runner’s Further Ado took top honors in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2). Now Gun Runner is back in the headlines as the sire of Paladin, who triumphed in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.

Paladin relished every yard of the Remsen’s 1 1/8-mile distance, launching a sustained rally from 2 1/2 lengths off the pace to beat a promising field by two lengths. His success as a juvenile bodes well for his long-term prospects, because every element of Paladin’s pedigree suggests he’ll improve with maturity.

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LITMUS TEST

After recording top-four finishes in a trio of Grade 1 races, Litmus Test wrapped up his two-year-old season with a win in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2).

Litmus Test tracked the pace in second place for six furlongs before gradually wearing down the leader and edging away to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths, completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.38.

Success as a juvenile was always in the cards for Litmus Test. The $875,000 yearling acquisition has the pedigree to star from an early age, and—even better—the pedigree to progress into a major player in the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1).

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CHIP HONCHO

Chip Honcho joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a determined win in the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds. But his pedigree is a bit unorthodox for a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender.

So far, Chip Honcho has excelled in races slightly longer and shorter than one mile. That’s unsurprising on one hand, since his sire—Connect—showed a similar tendency during his racing career.

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EXPRESS KID

Express Kid, the gate-to-wire winner of the Remington Springboard Mile S. on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, was purchased for only $2,000 as a yearling.

You might assume a $2,000 yearling lacks the pedigree to compete effectively in the Kentucky Derby (G1). But that’s not necessarily true. Mine That Bird, the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner, sold for just $9,500 as a yearling even though he was bred top and bottom to shine in the Run for the Roses.

Only time will tell if Express Kid can emulate Mine That Bird. But just like Mine That Bird, Express Kid boasts a pedigree geared toward success in the Kentucky Derby.

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PYROMANCER

Pyromancer emerged as a 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender when he brought his record to a perfect 3-for-3 in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse.

Held over a metric mile, the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun is the second leg of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, and it’s been won in recent years by subsequent Kentucky Derby starters Derma Sotogake and Forever Young.

Prior to winning the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, Pyromancer claimed first prize in a pair of 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8-mile) races at Kyoto. His stamina is obvious, and it’s easy to find the sources in his pedigree.

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MY WORLD

A tenacious triumph in the one-mile Jerome S. at Aqueduct has propelled My World into the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) picture.

Coming off a win in the Nashua S. over the same track and distance, My World ran a gallant race in the Jerome. He briefly trailed a four-horse field before launching a steady rally to chase down heavy favorite Balboa and prevail by two lengths in 1:38.96.

My World’s success at a young age is understandable. His pedigree is geared top and bottom toward early maturity. But just as importantly, My World’s breeding suggests he’ll maintain his form as a three-year-old and quite possibly relish the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby.

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STRATEGIC RISK

Strategic Risk, winner of the Smarty Jones S. on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, doesn’t have the flashiest pedigree at first glance.

But dig a little deeper into the bloodlines of the up-and-coming bay colt, and it’s clear Strategic Risk has lots of potential for success in the spring classics: the Kentucky Derby (G1), Preakness (G1), and Belmont (G1).

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