Spice Runner

Spice Runner joined the 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby as early as possible, claiming victory in the series-opening Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs.

Spice Runner raced greenly down the homestretch of the one-mile race, drifting around the track while pursuing heavy favorite Comport. But in the final strides, he got up to win by a head.

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Napoleon Solo

Napoleon Solo joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a tremendous performance in the Champagne (G1), leading all the way to dominate by 6 1/2 lengths.

Speed is clearly a strong suit for Napoleon Solo. In the Champagne, he set blazing fractions of :22.53, :44.24, and 1:07.88 on his way to a final time of 1:34.57 for one mile. But does he have the necessary stamina to last 1 1/4 miles in the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1)?

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Intrepido

In recent years, the dominant sire (and grandsire) of Kentucky Derby (G1) winners has been Into Mischief.

Since 2020, Into Mischief has sired a record-equaling three Derby winners: Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (2021), and Sovereignty (2025). In addition, Into Mischief’s son Goldencents sired 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, which means Into Mischief is either the sire or grandsire of four of the last six Derby winners.

Perhaps Into Mischief’s sire line will strike again in the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1). His son Maximum Mischief is the sire of Intrepido, who unleashed a big late rally to win the American Pharoah (G1) on the 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby.

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Incredibolt

Incredibolt joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby sooner than many horses. The early-maturing colt won the Street Sense (G3) during the fall meet at Churchill Downs with a last-to-first rally.

It isn’t surprising to see Incredibolt excelling from an early age. His sire, Bolt d’Oro, was a star two-year-old who won the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and FrontRunner (G1) before finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

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Further Ado 

Further Ado joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a rallying win in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs.

A decade ago, the Kentucky Jockey Club marked the stakes debut of Further Ado’s sire, Gun Runner. The future 2017 Horse of the Year struggled in the Kentucky Jockey Club, finishing fourth, but matured to win 10 graded stakes (including six Grade 1s) and finish third in the 2016 Kentucky Derby.

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SATONO VOYAGE

Into Mischief has been the dominant sire of Kentucky Derby (G1) winners in recent years. He’s sired a record-equaling three winners of the Run for the Roses: Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (2021), and Sovereignty (2025). In addition, he’s the grandsire of the 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan.

Now Into Mischief is launching a multinational assault on the 2026 Kentucky Derby. In the U.S., he’s the sire of probable champion two-year-old male Ted Noffey. And in Japan, he’s the sire of Satono Voyage, who kicked off the 2025-26 Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby with a sharp success in the Cattleya S. at Tokyo Racecourse.

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PALADIN

A decade after Gun Runner finished third in the 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1), he’s making an impressive impact on the 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Gun Runner’s son, Spice Runner, won the first leg of the series, the Iroquois (G3). Later on, Gun Runner’s Further Ado took top honors in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2). Now Gun Runner is back in the headlines as the sire of Paladin, who triumphed in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.

Paladin relished every yard of the Remsen’s 1 1/8-mile distance, launching a sustained rally from 2 1/2 lengths off the pace to beat a promising field by two lengths. His success as a juvenile bodes well for his long-term prospects, because every element of Paladin’s pedigree suggests he’ll improve with maturity.

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LITMUS TEST

After recording top-four finishes in a trio of Grade 1 races, Litmus Test wrapped up his two-year-old season with a win in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2).

Litmus Test tracked the pace in second place for six furlongs before gradually wearing down the leader and edging away to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths, completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.38.

Success as a juvenile was always in the cards for Litmus Test. The $875,000 yearling acquisition has the pedigree to star from an early age, and—even better—the pedigree to progress into a major player in the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1).

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CHIP HONCHO

Chip Honcho joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a determined win in the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds. But his pedigree is a bit unorthodox for a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender.

So far, Chip Honcho has excelled in races slightly longer and shorter than one mile. That’s unsurprising on one hand, since his sire—Connect—showed a similar tendency during his racing career.

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EXPRESS KID

Express Kid, the gate-to-wire winner of the Remington Springboard Mile S. on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, was purchased for only $2,000 as a yearling.

You might assume a $2,000 yearling lacks the pedigree to compete effectively in the Kentucky Derby (G1). But that’s not necessarily true. Mine That Bird, the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner, sold for just $9,500 as a yearling even though he was bred top and bottom to shine in the Run for the Roses.

Only time will tell if Express Kid can emulate Mine That Bird. But just like Mine That Bird, Express Kid boasts a pedigree geared toward success in the Kentucky Derby.

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PYROMANCER

Pyromancer emerged as a 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender when he brought his record to a perfect 3-for-3 in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse.

Held over a metric mile, the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun is the second leg of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, and it’s been won in recent years by subsequent Kentucky Derby starters Derma Sotogake and Forever Young.

Prior to winning the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, Pyromancer claimed first prize in a pair of 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8-mile) races at Kyoto. His stamina is obvious, and it’s easy to find the sources in his pedigree.

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MY WORLD

A tenacious triumph in the one-mile Jerome S. at Aqueduct has propelled My World into the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) picture.

Coming off a win in the Nashua S. over the same track and distance, My World ran a gallant race in the Jerome. He briefly trailed a four-horse field before launching a steady rally to chase down heavy favorite Balboa and prevail by two lengths in 1:38.96.

My World’s success at a young age is understandable. His pedigree is geared top and bottom toward early maturity. But just as importantly, My World’s breeding suggests he’ll maintain his form as a three-year-old and quite possibly relish the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby.

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STRATEGIC RISK

Strategic Risk, winner of the Smarty Jones S. on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, doesn’t have the flashiest pedigree at first glance.

But dig a little deeper into the bloodlines of the up-and-coming bay colt, and it’s clear Strategic Risk has lots of potential for success in the spring classics: the Kentucky Derby (G1), Preakness (G1), and Belmont (G1).

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GOLDEN TEMPO

Can Golden Tempo go where no son of Curlin has gone before: to the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner’s circle? It’s a distinct possibility after the bay colt stormed from last place to win the Lecomte (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Coming off a debut victory sprinting six furlongs, Golden Tempo relished stretching out over 1 1/16 miles in the Lecomte. He launched an eye-catching rail rally to prevail by three-quarters of a length. His pedigree suggests he’ll relish the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby, even though the Run for the Roses has proven to be an elusive prize for Curlin and his sons.

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SIX SPEED

Six Speed flaunted his speed in the UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) at Meydan in Dubai, carving out the pace on his way to winning the European/Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier by five lengths.

Having previously won back-to-back sprints at Meydan in decisive fashion, Six Speed gave the impression he might be cut out for success racing seven furlongs or shorter. But the UAE 2000 Guineas took place over a metric mile, and Six Speed’s strong finish down the homestretch suggests he had stamina to spare.

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NEARLY

Dueling for the lead through hot pace fractions didn’t stop Nearly from dominating the Holy Bull (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Pressing splits of :22.82 and :45.96 over 1 1/16 miles would have caused many horses to falter, but Nearly drew off down the homestretch to score by 5 3/4 lengths, emerging as a serious contender for the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1).

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SILENT TACTIC

A powerful rally from off the pace carried Silent Tactic to a decisive win in the Southwest (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Silent Tactic’s stretch-running style is reminiscent of his sire, Tacitus. Tacitus fell short in his bid for Kentucky Derby (G1) glory, but perhaps Silent Tactic—the first stakes winner sired by Tacitus—has the talent to rise higher.

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TALK TO ME JIMMY

Talk to Me Jimmy made his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut a winning one in the 1 1/8-mile Withers S., leading all the way to dominate by 11 lengths. Talk to Me Jimmy is the first stakes winner sired by Modernist, a young stallion who made some noise on the 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby. While Modernist failed to make the Kentucky Derby (G1) starting gate, it’s possible he’s passed on sufficient talent and stamina to Talk to Me Jimmy to make the latter a serious Run for the Roses contender.

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PLUTARCH

It’s fitting to see Plutarch emerge as a 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender. His pedigree contains two of the most dominant Kentucky Derby sires of the last decade. Although Plutarch has shown ability on turf, dirt appears to be his true calling. On the Road to the Kentucky Derby, he’s won the Robert B. Lewis (G3) and placed third in the American Pharoah (G1). That’s in keeping with the racing and breeding accomplishments of his immediate ancestors.

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RENEGADE

Renegade has shown talent and stamina on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, winning the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis S. and placing second in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen (G2). The testing 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby (G1) itself should be well within reach for Renegade. His pedigree is packed to overflowing with classic stamina.

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AL HARAM 

Al Haram, an unbeaten colt based in Saudi Arabia, brought his record to 4-for-4 with a late-charging triumph in the Saudi Derby (G3). Contested over 1,600 meters (about one mile), the Saudi Derby served as a European/Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier, awarding 30 points to the winner. Al Haram’s triumph placed him into the picture as a 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender, but does he have the pedigree to shine racing 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May?

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PAVLOVIAN

After launching a tenacious late charge to win the Sunland Park Derby by a nose, Pavlovian has emerged as a candidate for the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1).

Pavlovian seeks to become the third Kentucky Derby winner owned by Reddam Racing and trained by Doug O’Neill, following I’ll Have Another (2012) and Nyquist (2016). But whereas those two Derby heroes were auction acquisitions, Pavlovian is a Reddam Racing homebred.

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GREAT WHITE

Does Great White have the pedigree to excel racing 1 1/4 miles on dirt in the Kentucky Derby (G1)? That’s an important question to ask, because his racing record doesn’t reveal the answer.

So far, Great White has competed exclusively over the synthetic Tapeta track at Turfway Park, so he lacks experience on dirt. Also, he’s yet to race farther than 1 1/16 miles, the distance over which he held off late challengers to win the John Battaglia Memorial S. by a neck.

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LUCKY KID

Lucky Kid could be bound for the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) after holding off a late challenger to win the Hyacinth S. over 1,600 meters (about one mile) at Tokyo Racecourse.

The Hyacinth is an important stop on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Over the last decade, it’s produced five Kentucky Derby starters. But if Lucky Kid makes the starting gate on the first Saturday in May, will he have the stamina to handle the Derby’s testing 1 1/4-mile distance?

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IRON HONOR

A determined charge down the Aqueduct homestretch carried Iron Honor to a one-length victory in the Gotham (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Iron Honor needed almost every yard of the Gotham’s one-mile distance to exert his superiority over runner-up Crown the Buckeye. One mile may be shorter than Iron Honor wants to run; his pedigree suggests the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby (G1) could prove more suitable.

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COMMANDMENT

Can Commandment make history and become the fourth son of perennial leading North American sire Into Mischief to win the Kentucky Derby (G1)?

It’s not out of the question. Commandment joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a rallying triumph in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park, the same race Into Mischief’s son Sovereignty won in 2025. Sovereignty, of course, used the Fountain of Youth as a springboard to victories in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont (G1), and Travers (G1), in the process securing 2025 Horse of the Year honors.

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CLASS PRESIDENT

Ten years ago, a young stallion named Uncle Mo made headlines when his son Nyquist prevailed in the 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1).

Nyquist was a member of Uncle Mo’s first crop of foals, and he helped kickstart Uncle Mo’s accomplished and acclaimed stud career. Sadly, Uncle Mo died at the end of 2024, but he still has chances to sire a second, posthumous Kentucky Derby winner.

One of Uncle Mo’s best hopes for 2026 is Class President, born in 2023. The bay colt showed unwavering tenacity in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, prevailing by a nose after a hard homestretch battle.

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