Kentucky Derby Roundup: Balboa rebounds at Laurel Park

The 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) is 173 days away. Catch up on the latest news and notes as the Road to the Kentucky Derby unfolds:

Balboa drops in class, wins the James F. Lewis III

Although Balboa posted an impressive maiden victory during the summer at Del Mar, the Bob Baffert trainee struggled after stepping up to the Grade 1 level, finishing fifth in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and American Pharoah (G1). The latter effort earned Balboa 1 point on the 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Balboa subsequently transferred to the barn of trainer Brittany Russell at Laurel Park. His first start under Russell’s care came on Saturday in the $100,000 James F. Lewis III S. at Laurel, a six-furlong dirt dash. The easier class level made all the difference as Balboa dueled through splits of :22.04 and :46.04 before kicking away with authority to win by 5 1/4 lengths in 1:11.87.

Having secured a confidence-boosting victory, perhaps Balboa can rejoin the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the future. A Mid-Atlantic prize like the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs could be a viable late-winter goal. 

Blackout Time aims for a three-year-old campaign

Breeders’ Futurity (G1) runner-up Blackout Time, who was scratched by veterinarians from the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), remains on the Kentucky Derby trail and is resting up for a sophomore campaign.

Trainer Kenny McPeek revealed on the Horse Races Now podcast that Blackout Time underwent a bone scan, which revealed “a mild amount of bone remodeling on all four ankles,” which is typical of young horses in training. Blackout Time will take a bit of time off from serious training before targeting Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races in 2026.

$5 million yearling Courting secures maiden victory

Courting, the second-most expensive yearling sold at a North American auction since 2008, delivered an eye-catching maiden victory at Aqueduct on Sunday.

The two-year-old Todd Pletcher trainee set a slow pace, then finished fast (running his final quarter-mile in :23.95) to win a one-mile maiden special weight by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:36.03.

As a full-brother to four-time Grade 1 winner Clairiere, Courting has the pedigree to improve with distance and maturity. Read more about Courting and other notable two-year-old maiden winners in this week’s edition of Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch.

Kentucky Derby Power Rankings remain unchanged

Overall, it was a quiet post-Breeders’ Cup racing week, so the landscape of top-tier Kentucky Derby contenders remains unchanged. At least, that’s the case in this week’s Kentucky Derby Power Rankings.

The Kentucky Derby Power Rankings Top 20 remains the same as last week, with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) 1-2-3 finishers Ted Noffey, Mr. A. P., and Brant leading the way. Check out the full list on KentuckyDerby.com.

Latest Kentucky Derby contender workouts

Here are some of the latest workouts recorded by Road to the Kentucky Derby points earners:

Diciassette: In his second timed exercise since finishing fourth to Ted Noffey in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), Proud Man S. winner Diciassette worked half a mile in :50.05 at Palm Meadows last Monday.

Ganaas: Street Sense (G3) fifth-place finisher Ganaas returned to the work tab with three furlongs in :36.00 on Wednesday at Keeneland.

I Did I Did: Fourth in the Street Sense, I Did I Did got back to timed exercise with four furlongs in :48.80 on Sunday at Churchill Downs.

It’s Our Time: Bouncing back from a fourth-place finish as the favorite in the Champagne (G1), It’s Our Time clocked a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.20 on Tuesday at Churchill Downs.

Maximus Prime: Iroquois (G3) fifth-place runner Maximus Prime traveled half a mile in :49.60 on Wednesday at The Thoroughbred Center.

Spice Runner: Iroquois winner Spice Runner disappointed when fifth in the Breeders’ Futurity, but he’s posted three timed workouts since then, including a swift five furlongs in 1:00.40 on Sunday at Churchill Downs.

Stradale: The fifth-place finisher from the Champagne broke his maiden on Oct. 26 and returned to the work tab with half a mile in :49.60 on Sunday at Churchill Downs.

Talkin: Talkin has posted a couple of easy half-mile workouts since finishing second in the Champagne, most recently getting the distance in :51.25 over the Belmont Park training track on Wednesday.

Universe: Third in the Champagne and second in the Street Sense, Universe continued his busy autumn racing and training regimen with a four-furlong workout in :48.20 on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Very Connected: Street Sense third-place finisher Very Connected worked half a mile in :48.20 on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five

1. Ted Noffey (40 points)
2. Mr. A. P. (15 points)
3. Intrepido (13 points)
4. Spice Runner (11 points)
5. Napoleon Solo (10 points)

European-Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby top five

1. Hawk Mountain (20 points)
2. Puerto Rico (10 points)
3. Bow Echo (10 points)
4. Action (8 points)
5. Nighttime (5 points)