Kentucky Derby Roundup: Kentucky Jockey Club nominees revealed

The 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) is 165 days away. Catch up on the latest news and notes as the Road to the Kentucky Derby unfolds:

Further Ado, It’s Our Time among Kentucky Jockey Club nominees

Nominations for the Nov. 29 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs closed on Wednesday. Pending late mail, 27 horses have been nominated to the 1 1/16-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier, which awards points on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis to the top five finishers.

One of the most exciting names on the list is Further Ado. The Brad Cox trainee dominated a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Keeneland last month by 20 lengths and could be any sort of talent.

Other prominent nominees include flashy maiden winner and Champagne (G1) fourth-place finisher It’s Our Time, Iroquois (G3) 1-2 finishers Spice Runner and Comport, and Street Sense (G3) 2-3 finishers Universe and Very Connected.

Smoovin Saturday posts debut victory

Several promising two-year-olds scored maiden victories last week, emerging as horses who could join the Road to the Kentucky Derby this winter.

One of the most notable was Smoovin Saturday, a Reddam Racing homebred son of 2012 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner I’ll Have Another. Smoovin Saturday debuted in a one-mile maiden special weight for California-breds and launched a determined rally from midfield to defeat half a dozen rivals by 1 1/4 lengths.

Read more about Smoovin Saturday and other notable maiden winners in this week’s edition of Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch.

Latest Kentucky Derby contender workouts

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

It’s Our Time: The beaten Champagne (G1) favorite turned in a blazing five-furlong workout on Thursday at Churchill Downs, getting the distance in a bullet :59.40.

Ganaas: The Street Sense (G3) fifth-place finisher traveled half a mile in :48.00 on Thursday at Keeneland.

Maximus Prime: Fifth in the Iroquois (G3), Maximus Prime worked five furlongs in 1:02.80 on Friday at The Thoroughbred Center.

Spice Runner: Aiming to bounce back from a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), Iroquois winner Spice Runner worked five furlongs in 1:01.00 on Sunday at Churchill Downs.

Stradale: Fresh off a maiden win, the Champagne fifth-place runner worked half a mile in :49.60 on Sunday at Churchill Downs.

Talkin: In his third workout since finishing second in the Champagne, Talkin clocked an easy four furlongs in :51.25 over the Belmont Park training track on Thursday.

Very Connected: The third-place finisher from the Street Sense sped half a mile in :47.40 on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Vost: In his first workout since being pulled up in the homestretch of the Street Sense, Iroquois third-place finisher Vost worked half a mile in :48.20 on Friday at Churchill Downs.

It’s Our Time climbs Kentucky Derby Power Rankings

Fresh off his bullet five-furlong workout at Churchill Downs, It’s Our Time has climbed the latest Kentucky Derby Power Rankings on KentuckyDerby.com, advancing two spots from 13th to 11th place.

Hopeful (G1) runner-up Buetane and flashy maiden winner Boyd have moved up one spot apiece, currently ranking 14th and 19th. Meanwhile, recent Churchill Downs maiden winner Project Ace joins the list in 20th place, knocking out unbeaten Saratoga Special (G2) winner Ewing, who hasn’t posted a timed workout since Sept. 26.

Bob Hope Stakes canceled due to lack of entries

According to Brad Free of the Daily Racing Form, the Bob Hope S. at Del Mar won’t be run this year after failing to draw enough entries.

The seven-furlong dirt dash for juveniles was initially postponed from Sunday until this coming Friday, giving more opportunity for horses to enter. But after the second attempt to draw entries fell short of hopes, the decision was made to cancel the race.

While not a part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, the Bob Hope has historically been an important stepping stone to December’s Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), which is worth 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualification points.

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)