Kentucky Derby Roundup: So Happy, Robusta win at Santa Anita

The 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) is 110 days away. Catch up on the latest news and notes as the Road to the Kentucky Derby unfolds:

Chip Honcho headlines 11-horse Lecomte field

Chip Honcho, winner of the Gun Runner S. on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, leads the field for Saturday’s Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds.

The 1 1/16-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier drew 11 entries. Crown the Buckeye and Quality Mischief, third and fourth in the Gun Runner, are back for a rematch with Chip Honcho. Stop the Car, winner of a $100,000 allowance optional claimer at Churchill Downs, is another accomplished entrant.

They’re joined in the entries by six last-out maiden winners: Carson Street, Exosome, Golden Tempo, Mesquite, Thunder Buck, and White Tiger. The maiden Ocelli completes the lineup.

So Happy steps up in San Vicente

Debut winner So Happy looks bound for the Road to the Kentucky Derby after bringing his record to 2-for-2 with a win in the San Vicente (G2) at Santa Anita last Saturday.

The Mark Glatt trainee rated in third place behind hot fractions of :22.03 and :43.56 before wearing down pacesetter Acknowledgemeplz and turning back a bid from heavy favorite Buetane to score by two lengths in the fast time of 1:21.12.

Buetane, making his first start since a runner-up effort in the Sept. 1 Hopeful (G1), ran well in his comeback and could likewise join the Kentucky Derby trail.

Robusta breaks maiden over Road to the Kentucky Derby alums

A pair of Road to the Kentucky Derby points earners fell to defeat in a high-profile maiden special weight racing one mile at Santa Anita last week.

Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) runner-up Blacksmith and Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) fifth-place finisher Cherokee Nation were expected to star, but it was the unheralded Robusta who sprang a 24-1 upset, leading all the way to prevail by half a length in 1:35.73.

Robusta hails from the barn of two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O’Neill. Learn more about Robusta and other promising maiden winners in the latest edition of Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch.

So Happy debuts in Kentucky Derby Power Rankings

Thanks to his win in the San Vicente, So Happy has debuted in 15th place in the latest Kentucky Derby Power Rankings on KentuckyDerby.com.

So Happy’s emergence knocked out My World, previously ranked 20th after winning the Jan. 3 Jerome S.

Ted Noffey favored in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3

Ted Noffey, the undefeated three-time Grade 1 winner, almost certain to be voted champion two-year-old male of 2025, is the shortest-priced individual betting interest in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3.

Pool 3 opens for betting at 12:00 p.m. ET on Friday and closes at 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Ted Noffey is listed at 6-1 on the morning line, with only “All Other Three-Year-Olds” offering lower odds at 4-1. Ted Noffey was also the individual favorite in Pool 1 (closing at 10-1) and Pool 2 (offering 7-1).

Only two other horses are listed below 20-1 odds in Pool 3: Remsen (G2) winner Paladin (10-1) and flashy maiden winner Cannoneer (15-1). Check out the full list of betting interests here.

Latest Kentucky Derby contender workouts

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

Arctic Beast: Five furlongs in 1:01.40 on Saturday at Churchill’s Trackside training track.

Chip Honcho: Four furlongs in :50.00 on Monday at Fair Grounds.

Civil Liberty: In his first timed workout since withdrawing from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) with a tendon issue, Civil Liberty breezed three furlongs in :36.80 on Friday at Santa Anita.

Courting: Half a mile in :49.82 on Friday at Palm Beach Downs.

Crown the Buckeye: Five furlongs in 1:02.60 on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Desert Gate: Six furlongs in 1:11.20 on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Diciassette: Five furlongs in 1:01.50 on Sunday at Palm Meadows.

Grittiness: Four furlongs in :50.65 on Saturday over the Belmont Park training track.

I Did I Did: Five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.00 on Saturday at Turfway Park.

Incredibolt: Four furlongs in a bullet :48.45 on Wednesday at Palm Meadows.

Intrepido: Six furlongs in 1:14.60 on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Liberty National: Four furlongs in :49.20 on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Litmus Test: Half a mile in :47.80 on Friday at Santa Anita.

Paladin: Half a mile in :48.60 on Saturday at Payson Park.

Plutarch: Four furlongs in :48.60 on Sunday at Santa Anita.

Quality Mischief: Five furlongs in 1:01.80 on Friday at Fair Grounds.

Renegade: Half a mile in :49.22 on Saturday at Palm Beach Downs.

Royalamerican: Four furlongs in :49.64 on Friday at Will Rogers Downs.

Soldier N Diplomat: Five furlongs in 1:02.00 on Friday at Fair Grounds.

Stradale: Four furlongs in an easy :51.00 on Friday at Fair Grounds.

Very Connected: Four furlongs in :48.60 on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Way Beyond: Half a mile in :50.00 on Monday at Oaklawn Park.

Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard top five

1. Ted Noffey (40 points)
2. Litmus Test (19 points)
3. Mr. A. P. (15 points)
4. Intrepido (13 points)
5. Universe (13 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)

Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby top five

1. Pyromancer (20 points)
2. Tamamo Freesia (10 points)
3. Satono Voyage (10 points)
4. Best Green (6 points)
5. Don Erectus (5 points)