Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Chip Honcho, Mob impress

Nine days before the running of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs, a one-mile maiden special weight over the same track produced an outcome that could influence how bettors handicap the Kentucky Jockey Club.

On Oct. 16 at Keeneland, Chip Honcho finished second by 2 3/4 lengths in a seven-furlong maiden special weight won by Kentucky Jockey Club entrant Dr. Kapur. On Thursday, Chip Honcho stretched out over one mile at Churchill and graduated in sharp fashion, flattering Dr. Kapur while simultaneously vaulting to the top of this week’s Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch rankings.

Chip Honcho

Purchased for $210,000 as a yearling, Chip Honcho ran well in his second start for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. The son of Connect set quick fractions of :22.84 and :45.92 while tracked by stablemate Marauder, continued to lead through six furlongs in 1:11.22, and then turned back Marauder’s challenge to score by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:37.60.

Chip Honcho improved nicely from his first start to his second. Whereas in his debut he broke slowly and closed from midfield, in his second try he led at every call. A Road to the Kentucky Derby foray is likely in his future, and with this possibility in mind, you may want to bet on Chip Honcho in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2, which opens on Thursday at 12:00 p.m. ET. Chip Honcho is listed at 99-1 on the morning line. 

Mob

On Sunday at Churchill Downs, $560,000 yearling acquisition Mob won on debut in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight.

The Brian Lynch trainee entered off a sharp series of workouts, but outran his 5-1 odds. He broke on top, secured a slim lead through fractions of :22.16 and :45.30, opened up a daylight lead in midstretch, and held off a deep closer to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:17.34.

As a son of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner out of a mare by 2007 Kentucky Derby hero Street Sense, Mob has the pedigree to improve with distance and experience. If you're intrigued by his Road to the Kentucky Derby potential, you can bet Mob in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2—he's an 80-1 shot on the morning line.

So Happy

A 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on Saturday at Del Mar ended in an upset as 38-1 longshot So Happy defeated nine rivals in tenacious fashion.

The son of champion sprinter Runhappy wasn’t expected to conquer a deep field, including three high-profile juveniles from the barn of Bob Baffert. But under the guidance of Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, So Happy rated in fourth through splits of :22.49 and :45.00, took command in the homestretch, and held off Baffert’s first-time starter Winston Ave to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:16.09.

Only time will tell how far So Happy wants to run, but since his dam is a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Blame, there’s a chance he’ll stretch out around two turns. In any case, So Happy’s talent is obvious, and he looks like a budding stakes horse for trainer Mark Glatt.

Nearly

Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher added another name to his roster of potential 2026 Derby contenders when Nearly smashed a six-furlong maiden special weight for Florida-breds on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Nearly never factored in his Oct. 26 debut against unrestricted competition at Aqueduct, finishing last out of six. He showed dramatic improvement at Gulfstream, rating fourth through an opening quarter in :22.34 before taking over through half a mile in :46.31. Down the homestretch, he powered away to dominate by 9 1/4 lengths.

Nearly clocked his final quarter-mile in a solid :24.55 to reach the finish line in 1:10.86. His performance was impressive enough to snag the #20 spot in this week’s Kentucky Derby Power Rankings on KentuckyDerby.com.

Hedge Ratio

At Aqueduct, the third time was the charm for Chad Brown trainee Hedge Ratio.

Fifth and fourth in his first two starts running long on turf and dirt (including one against stablemate Paladin), Hedge Ratio appreciated cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs for a Saturday maiden special weight. Showing vastly improved early speed, Hedge Ratio shot to the front under jockey Flavien Prat, set fractions of :22.85 and :46.33, and then widened down the lane to score by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:16.85.

Hedge Ratio blazed his final sixteenth of a mile in :05.99, suggesting the son of Speightstown is ready to stretch back out in distance.

Enforced Agenda

Unlike Hedge Ratio, Enforced Agenda has already proven his worth as a route racer. The son of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Liam’s Map debuted victorious in a one-mile maiden special weight on Sunday at Aqueduct.

Enforced Agenda was always prominent, pressing the leaders through fractions of :23.12, :45.75, and 1:10.21. He secured a narrow lead with an eighth of a mile remaining and gradually edged clear to prevail by one length in 1:35.80.

A homebred racing in the colors of St. Elias Stalbe, Enforced Agenda hails from the barn of George Weaver.

Arabia Wild

The last horse we’ll highlight is Arabia Wild, a Brad Cox trainee who got the job done in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Coming off two runner-up finishes at Horseshoe Indianapolis, the stoutly bred son of Gun Runner out of an A.P. Indy mare closed from fifth place against splits of :23.41, :48.24, and 1:13.49 to get up and win by three-quarters of a length in 1:46.39.

Top maiden winner of the week: Chip Honcho

Honorable mention: Mob