Monday Morning Message with Jason Beem Mar. 23, 2026

Jason discusses Emerging Market's quick rise to prominence as well as talking about Touchuponastar. 

A good Monday morning to you all! First weekend of 100-point preps behind us and a few more big ones to come. I honestly had such a fun evening on Saturday after our races at Tampa finished up, clued to my TwinSpires App going between Turfway, Fair Grounds, and even over to Oaklawn for Skippylongstocking’s big win in the Essex (G3). Just one of those really fun Saturday afternoons that we sometimes get in this game. 

Wanted to first talk about Emerging Market’s win in the Louisiana Derby (G2). I will be the first to admit that I’m always extremely biased towards horses that I’ve gotten to call in their races. When he won that debut back in February on Sam F. Davis Day, I remember after that race walking down to our TV department and telling the TV guys just how good those two horses (him and Powershift) were. They aren’t exactly horse racing people, more young men interested in television and sports. But they like to learn, and I try to teach them some when I can. 

Well, it didn’t take a great handicapping eye to know that those two had just put on a real show. I told our replay guy Matt, “One or both of those horses might run in the Kentucky Derby (G1).” His eyes lit up and was like “really?” I feel mildly vindicated after Saturday’s race, as Powershift didn’t exactly come back great in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). 

Emerging Market has now had to win two very tough stretch battles going long distances in his first two career starts. It will be a big ask to win the Kentucky Derby off just those two races, but it’s a big ask to win the Kentucky Derby off any amount of starts. It’s hard. 

But it’s very cool to see this horse’s quick ascension from unraced maiden to two-time winner and a spot in the gate at the Derby if the connections are so inclined. I think a lot of people expected that maybe he’d be a Preakness (G1) horse, similar to what these connections have done with Cloud Computing and Early Voting. So I guess we shall see! 

Anything I write here about Touchuponastar would just contribute to the echo chamber of praise the Louisiana-bred runner is getting and has been getting. It’s a great story, and one thing that I’ve really enjoyed about it is the Delhommes continuing to talk about how they know “you only get one horse like this.” 

I really think they understand and appreciate just how rare the air this horse is in. Now with over $2 million in earnings and 21 career wins, he just keeps adding to his already amazing resume. He was asked if they’d go somewhere else and try open company, and while that would be really cool, he’s one of the few horses who I truly wouldn’t even mind if they just kept doing what they’re doing with him. He’s just so cool. 

I hope everyone has a great week as we get set for another big round of prep races with the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Florida Derby (G1) up next on the schedule.