Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Fair Grounds winners impress

On the same day Paladin prevailed in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds, a pair of up-and-coming three-year-olds scored impressive maiden wins over the New Orleans oval.

Time is running out for these youngsters to develop into 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders, but a path to the Churchill Downs winner’s circle remains open. Remember, 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify didn’t even debut until Feb. 18.

The two Fair Grounds maiden winners have been racing since last year, so they have much more experience than Justify did at this point in the season.

Trouble Calling

First, we’ll highlight Trouble Calling, who debuted back in September at Churchill Downs. He finished third, second, ninth, and second in his first four starts, all against maiden special weight competition. One of his runner-up efforts came on Jan. 17 in a fast six-furlong maiden special weight at Fair Grounds won by Knock It Off.

Trouble Calling’s breakthrough win came over the same track, distance, and class level last Saturday. The son of Dialed In broke on top, set fractions of :22.07 and :45.34, and then clocked his final two furlongs in :11.61 and :12.23 to draw off and dominate by 6 1/4 lengths. He hit the wire in the snappy time of 1:09.18.

Trouble Calling is progressing in the right direction for trainer Greg Foley. He’s not currently nominated to the Triple Crown, but his big win on Saturday suggests a start on the Road to the Kentucky Derby wouldn’t be unreasonable.

Awesome Gun

Awesome Gun failed to finish better than fourth in three starts as a juvenile, but the Whisper Hill Farm homebred improved sharply when making his 2026 debut in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Fair Grounds.

Indeed, Awesome Gun secured a clear lead through fractions of :23.08, :46.02, and 1:11.19, turned back a challenge in midstretch, and pulled away to score by 3 1/4 lengths. His final time of 1:43.22 was sharp; for comparison, three-year-old fillies required 1:43.38 to complete the Rachel Alexandra (G2) on the same card.

A stoutly bred son of Gun Runner out of the Curlin mare Plum Awesome, Awesome Gun has the pedigree to improve with maturity for trainer Cherie DeVaux. He’s not a Triple Crown nominee, but he appears to have upside and may yet join the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Easy Decision

Moving on from Fair Grounds, $300,000 yearling acquisition Easy Decision impressed when debuting in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on Wednesday at Aqueduct.

A Triple Crown nominee owned by Repole Stable and trained by Amelia Green, Easy Decision ran an unusual race. The son of Charlatan dueled through an opening quarter-mile in :22.75, dropped 1 1/2 lengths behind a half-mile in :46.98, and then re-rallied in the homestretch to dominate by 6 1/4 lengths in 1:19.30.

Only time will tell how far Easy Decision wants to run, but his dam is a daughter of champion and Preakness (G1) winner Bernardini, suggesting Easy Decision has potential for stretching out around two turns.

Mendels Mate

We would be remiss if we failed to mention Mendels Mate, who graduated third-time out in a one-mile maiden special weight on Saturday at Turfway Park.

Mendels Mate struggled in two starts sprinting as a juvenile, finishing fourth on turf at Churchill Downs and 10th on Tapeta at Turfway Park. Stretching out around two turns seemed to make all the difference for the son of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner Mendelssohn.

Benefiting from the slower pace of a route race, Mendels Mate tracked splits of :24.01, :48.61, and 1:14.04 in second place. He advanced to lead in midstretch and edged clear from there to prevail by one length in 1:40.95.

The Turfway Tapeta played slowly on Saturday, so Mendels Mate’s winning time is faster than it first appears. Older fillies and mares needed 1:40.64 to complete a $25,000 allowance optional claimer on the same card.

Perhaps we’ll see trainer Joe Sharp point Mendels Mate toward the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier held over 1 1/8 miles at Turfway.

Top maiden winner of the week: Trouble Calling

Honorable mention: Awesome Gun