152nd Kentucky Derby and Oaks Fields Are Set

Following the post position draw for the 152nd KENTUCKY DERBY (G1) next Saturday, the bulk of the headlines noted that morning line favourite RENEGADE (Into Mischief) drew post position 1. The last horse to win the Derby from that spot was Ferdinand in 1986. In fact, although Mike Repole, a co-owner of the horse and an outspoken fan of racing, shares the horse with breeders Robert and Lawana Low, a number of critics of Repole were gleeful about the horse’s bad luck at the draw.

Repole’s filly Zany, the favourite for the Oaks, also drew post one (see Oaks preview below.)

As trainer Todd Pletcher joked on the backstretch on Sunday morning, he ‘reached for the air sickness bag’ during his flight to Kentucky. It certainly is not the best post for a race with 20 horses in it, simply because the crush of horses coming down from the outside often causes traffic problems. Irad Ortiz Jr., seeking his first Kentucky Derby win, will have to do some ace maneuvering.

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Twenty four (24) horses were entered in the Derby. On the also eligible list (there are four alsos) are

21. Great White – Three Chimneys Farm (Goncalo B. Torrealba) & John Ennis John Ennis 50-1

22. Ocelli – Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate & Front Page Equestrian LLC (Kevin Page) D. Whitworth Beckman 50-1

23. Robusta – Calumet Farm (Brad Kelley) Doug F. O’Neill 50-1

24. Corona de Oro – On Our Own Stable LLC (D. Berman et al), Commonwealth Stable (S. Samsel), U Racing Stables LLC (Jeff Lifson), Saints or Sinners (Hans & Ana Maron), Titletown Racing LLC (P. Farr), Jim Nichols, Edwin S. Barker, Daniel Rivers, John Haines & Dallas Stewart Dallas Stewart 50-1

Most of the final workouts took place on Sunday morning with one-third of the field putting in preps. Two horses worked extremely fast over a speedy Churchill dirt track:

Potente, trained by Bob Baffert, worked five furlongs from the 4 1/2-furlong pole in 57.77 seconds off a 34.73 opening three-furlong split. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:10.71.

Intrepido covered a half-mile in 44.76 seconds despite working well off the inner rail before continuing out willingly enough considering the blistering pace – five furlongs in 57.24 and up six panels in 1:10.50. Intrepido appeared to switch back to his left lead approaching the wire.

Sovereign Award-winning trainer MARK CASSE sent out John Oxley’s SILENT TACTIC, with jockey Cristian Torres aboard, to work a half-mile in :48 last Thursday morning at Churchill Downs. Casse seeks his first Derby win.

Working on his own at 7:15, Silent Tactic, who broke his maiden at Woodbine last fall, clicked off fractions of :12, :24, :48 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 and six furlongs in 1:14.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker Adam Wallace.

Two hours prior to the Silent Tactic work, Casse sent out his two Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) candidates in West Point Thoroughbreds’ Counting Stars and Tracy Farmer’s Search Party.

Search Party, with Torres aboard, was first up going a half-mile in :47.60. Following a few minutes behind her was Counting Stars with Froylan Garcia up for a half-mile in :48.60.

Here is a post position analysis from KentuckyDerby.com:

POST POSITION ANALYSIS BY J. KEELER JOHNSON/ TWIN SPIRES/KENTUCKYDERBY.COM

Post – 2026 Derby Starter – Record – Win – % ITM % – Last Winner – Last In-the-Money

1. Renegade 96-8-5-5 8.3% 18.8% / Ferdinand (1986) Lookin At Lee (2nd, 2017)
2. Albus 96-7-6-13 7.3% 27.1% / Affirmed (1978) Sierra Leone (2nd, 2024)
3. Intrepido 96-6-8-8 6.3% 22.9% / Mystik Dan (2024) Mystik Dan (1st, 2024)
4. Litmus Test 96-5-6-4 5.2% 15.6% / Super Saver (2010) Danza (3rd, 2014)
5. Right to Party 96-10-8-4 10.4% 22.9% / Always Dreaming (2017) Audible (3rd, 2018)
6. Commandment 96-2-8-3 2.1% 13.5% / Sea Hero (1993) Good Magic (2nd, 2018)
7. Danon Bourbon 95-8-7-6 8.4% 22.1% / Mandaloun (2021) Journalism (2nd, 2025)
8. So Happy 95-9-5-5 9.5% 20.0% / Mage (2023) Mage (1st, 2023)
9. The Puma 92-4-6-8 4.3% 19.6% / Riva Ridge (1972) Hot Rod Charlie (2nd, 2021)
10. Wonder Dean 89-9-6-11 10.1% 29.2% / Giacomo (2005) Forever Young (3rd, 2024)
11. Incredibolt 85-2-6-4 2.4% 14.1% / Winning Colors (1988) Code of Honor (2nd, 2019)
12. Chief Wallabee 81-3-3-4 3.7% 12.3% / Canonero II (1971) Angel of Empire (3rd, 2023)
13. Silent Tactic 79-5-5-7 6.3% 21.5% / Nyquist (2016) Nyquist (1st, 2016)
14. Potente 69-2-6-6 2.9% 20.3% / Carry Back (1961) Essential Quality (3rd, 2021)
15. Emerging Market 64-6-2-1 9.4% 14.1% / Authentic (2020) Authentic (1st, 2020)
16. Pavlovian 53-5-3-3 9.4% 20.8% / Sovereignty (2025) Sovereignty (1st, 2025)
17. Six Speed 46-0-1-2 0.0% 6.5% / None Forty Niner (2nd, 1988)
18. Further Ado 38-2-4-0 5.3% 15.8% / Country House (2019) Country House (1st, 2019)
19. Golden Tempo 32-1-1-1 3.1% 9.4% / I’ll Have Another (2012) Baeza (3rd, 2025)
20. Fulleffort 19-2-0-1 10.5% 15.8% / Rich Strike (2022) Rich Strike (1st, 2022)

KENTUCKY OAKS PREVIEW

courtesy Kentucky Derby media

Repole Stable’s ZANY has been installed as the 4-1 morning line favorite in a field of 14 plus three also-eligibles for the 152nd running of the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) to be run next Friday over a mile and an eighth over the main track.

Post time for the Oaks is 8:40 p.m. (all times Eastern) as the centerpiece of a 13-race program that begins at 12:30 p.m.

Trained by four-time Oaks winner Todd Pletcher, Zany started her career 3-for-3 and sustained her first setback three weeks ago in the Ashland (GI) at Keeneland with a runner-up finish to Percy’s Bar.

Irad Ortiz Jr., who was board for the Ashland as well as victories in the Demoiselle (GII) and Suncoast (Listed), has the mount Friday from post 2.

Pletcher’s Oaks winners consist of Malathaat (2021), Princess of Sylmar (2013), Rags to Riches (2007) and Ashado (2004).

Second choice on the morning line at 5-1 is Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Meaning. Winner of the Santa Anita (GII) in her most recent start, Meaning has won three of four starts for trainer Michael McCarthy. Juan Hernandez has the mount from post 5.

Hat Creek Racing’s Percy’s Bar and Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s Explora are the co-third choices on the morning line at 6-1.

One of two Grade I winners in the field, Percy’s Bar was first to the finish in last fall’s Alcibiades (GI) at Keeneland but was disqualified for interference in the stretch. She followed that effort with a troubled third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI). Luan Machado has the mount from post 11.

Trained by three-time Oaks winner Bob Baffert, Explora won the Honeybee (GIII) in her most recent start to improve her record to 7-4-3-0. Explora has been favored in all seven of her starts. Flavien Prat has the mount from post 1.

Bob Baffert also will send out Bottle of Rouge (20-1) for his wife Jill. Bottle of Rouge, winner of the Del Mar Debutante (GI) last summer and the recent Virginia Oaks, will be ridden by two-time Oaks winner Mike Smith from post 8. Smith won aboard Abel Tasman in 2017 and Princess of Sylmar.

Baffert’s most recent Oaks winner was Abel Tasman. Previous winners were Plum Pretty in 2011 and the Pegram-owned Silverbulletday in 1999.

In addition to Pletcher and Baffert, two other trainers will be attempting to add to their Oaks victory total.

Three-time winner Brad Cox, who won the 2025 running with Good Cheer, will try to go back to back with Gary and Mary West’s Prom Queen (8-1). Daylight winner of the Gulfstream Park Oaks, Prom Queen has won two of three starts and will be ridden by Javier Castellano from post 10.

The most recent trainer to win the Oaks in consecutive years was D. Wayne Lukas with Open Mind (1989) and Seaside Attraction(1990). Cox’s other winners were Shedaresthedevil in 2020 and Monomoy Girl in 2018 while Castellano won the 2016 running withCathryn Sophia.

Brendan Walsh will go for a second Oaks victory with Bella Ballerina (10-1). A half-sister to 2023 Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous and winner of three of four starts, Bella Ballerina won the Golden Rod (GII) here last fall and most recently was second in the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII). Tyler Gaffalione, who rode Pretty Mischievous to the Oaks victory, has the call on Bella Ballerina who will exit post 12.

Two other riders will be seeking additional Oaks victories.

Two-time winner Luis Saez (Good Cheer and Secret Oath in 2022) has the call on Respect the Valleys, Medallion Racing and Madaket Stables’ Dazzling Dame (30-1) for trainer Brittany Russell. She will exit post 7.

Jose Ortiz, who won the 2019 Oaks on Serengeti Empress, has the mount on Douglas Scharbauer and Three Chimneys Farm’s Always a Runner (10-1) for trainer Chad Brown. She will exit post 9.

The field for the Longines Kentucky Oaks from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):