Kentucky Derby Context: Ocelli
Ocelli training at Churchill Downs (Photo by Renee Torbit/Coady Media)
April 27th, 2026
Winless from six starts, Ocelli will try to keep improving following an encouraging third in the Wood Memorial (G2), closing from far off the pace to miss by 1 1/2 lengths. The bay colt must draw in from the also-eligible list, falling a couple spots below the 20-horse threshold. Thirteen maidens have contested the Kentucky Derby since 1937, Nationalore’s ninth in 1998 the best result. The most recent maiden, Publisher, finished 14th in last year’s edition. Ocelli will bring a late kick to the Kentucky Derby if he gets the opportunity to run.
OWNER: Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate and Front Page Equestrian (Kevin Page) are looking to make their first appearance as owners in the Kentucky Derby.
TRAINER: A Louisville native, Whit Beckman worked as an assistant for Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher before opening his own stable in late 2021, and the up-and-coming horseman will look to send out a third consecutive Kentucky Derby starter. Honor Marie, who provided Beckman with his first graded stakes win, finished eighth in 2024 and Flying Mohawk 18th last year. Another Beckman trainee, Drexel Hill, finished second in the 2025 Kentucky Oaks at 32-1 odds.
JOCKEY: TBD
𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗦 at 11/1 wins the 101st and final running of the Wood Memorial G2 at Aqueduct.
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 4, 2026
Jockey @jaimetorresjcky was in the saddle for trainer @Riley_Mott
and stamps his ticket to the @KentuckyDerby earning 100 KY Derby points. pic.twitter.com/fi2ESlEjds
BREEDER: Bred in Kentucky by Rosedown Racing Stables (Jeff Weiss), Ocelli would be the first Kentucky Derby runner bred by Weiss. He sold only $12,000 as a yearling at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale.
SIRE: Ocelli from the fifth crop of Grade 1-winning dirt miler Connect, a son of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and a winner in six of eight career starts. Among his many accomplishments as a sire, Curlin produced 2025 Kentucky Derby runner-up and Preakness winner Journalism. Connect is still a relatively new broodmare sire.
DAM: Ocelli is the first winner out of Zalia, a daughter of Scat Daddy, the sire of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. A Grade 1-winning son of Johannesburg, Scat Daddy finished 18th in the 2007 Kentucky Derby in his final start. He’s proven successful as a broodmare sire but still seeks to make a serious impact on the Triple Crown.
