The Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland was the final Kentucky Derby 2026 prep race and 36-1 longshot Trendsetter pulled off the upset but does not have enough points to run in the Derby. In this report, I will recap the Lexington, update the points standings, and share my exceptional eleven Derby contenders.
I covered all of the Kentucky Derby 2026 points races on my Runaway Horse video channel, and through 37 points races, my top choices had 13 wins, 4 runner-up finishes, and 7 show finishes.
Kentucky Derby 2026 Points Race Recaps
Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland (4-11-26): My top choice Corona de Oro set the pace from the inside post and The Hell We Did chased from second. Trendsetter ($66.68) stalked from midpack and went past the two aforementioned early runners to win by 2 1/4 lengths (85 BSF). The Hell We Did finished second and Corona de Oro was 4 lengths in front of I Did I Did (4th). Beaten favorite Confessional was 5th and Ezum (6th), Mister T (7th), Ramblin (8th), and Exhibition Only (9th) also ran. Kazushi Kimura rode the winner for Ben Colebrook and the winner picked up 20 Kentucky Derby points. He does not have enough points to run in the Derby and this was probably more of a Preakness prep. Fractions: 23.68, 47.92, 1:12.12, 1:37.71, 1:44.51.
Kentucky Derby 2026 Points Race Results (Top Choice Winners Bolded)
Iroquois (10-5-3-2-1) – Sept. 13 – Winner: Spice Runner ($12.38)
Champagne (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 4 – Winner: Napoleon Solo ($15.94)
American Pharoah (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 4 – Winner: Intrepido ($19.60)
Breeders’ Futurity (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 4 – Winner: Ted Noffey ($3.84)
Street Sense (10-5-3-2-1) – Oct. 26 – Winner: Incredibolt ($10.18)
BC Juvenile (30-15-9-6-3) – Oct. 31 – Winner: Ted Noffey ($3.60)
Ky Jockey Club (10-5-3-2-1) – Nov. 29 – Winner: Further Ado ($3.40)
Remsen (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 6 – Winner: Paladin ($5.76)
Los Al Futurity (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 13 – Winner: Litmus Test ($3.20)
Gun Runner (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 20 – Winner: Chip Honcho ($9.80)
Springboard Mile (10-5-3-2-1) – Dec. 20 – Winner: Express Kid ($71.00)
Jerome (10-5-3-2-1) – Jan. 3 – Winner: My World ($7.24)
Smarty Jones (10-5-3-2-1) – Jan. 3 – Winner: Strategic Risk ($7.00)
Lecomte (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 17 – Winner: Golden Tempo ($7.40)
Holy Bull (20-10-6-4-2) – Jan. 31 – Winner: Nearly ($5.40)
Southwest (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 6 – Winner: Silent Tactic ($26.00)
Withers (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 6 – Winner: Talk to Me Jimmy ($26.54)
Robert Lewis (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 7 – Winner: Plutarch ($10.20)
Sam F. Davis (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 7 – Winner: Renegade ($4.40)
Risen Star (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 14 – Winner: Paladin ($3.40)
Sunland Derby (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 15 – Winner: Pavlovian ($12.20)
John Battaglia Memorial (20-10-6-4-2) – Feb. 21 – Winner: Great White ($32.32)
Fountain of Youth (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 28 – Winner: Commandment ($6.80)
Gotham (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 28 – Winner: Iron Honor ($3.88)
Rebel (50-25-15-10-5) – March 1 – Winner: Class President ($19.00)
Tampa Bay Derby (50-25-15-10-5) – March 7 – Winner: The Puma ($16.80)
San Felipe (50-25-15-10-5) – March 7 – Winner: Potente ($18.20)
Virginia Derby (50-25-15-10-5) – March 14 – Winner: Incredibolt ($14.40)
Jeff Ruby Steaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 21 – Winner: Fulleffort ($5.82)
Louisiana Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 21 – Winner: Emerging Market ($6.00)
Arkansas Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 28 – Winner: Renegade ($4.00)
Florida Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 28 – Winner: Commandment ($5.80)
UAE Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 28 – Winner: Wonder Dean
Blue Grass (100-50-25-15-10) – April 4 – Winner: Further Ado ($3.74)
SA Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – April 4 – Winner: So Happy ($16.60)
Wood Memorial (100-50-25-15-10) – April 4 – Winner: Albus ($25.78)
Lexington (20-10-6-4-2) – April 11 – Winner: Trendsetter ($66.68)
Top 23 Kentucky Derby 2026 Points Leaders (thru 4-13-26)
1 Commandment (150 points)
2 Further Ado (135 points)
3 Renegade (125 points)
4 So Happy (115 points)
5 Fulleffort (110 points)
6 The Puma (106 points)
7 Silent Tactic (100 points)
8 Emerging Market (100 points)
9 Albus (100 points)
10 Potente (100 points)
11 Pavlovian (70 points)
12 Right to Party (65 points)
13 Incredibolt (60 points)
14 Golden Tempo (60 points)
15 Ottinho (56 points)
16 Stark Contrast (50 points)
17 Iron Honor (50 points)
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3 Overseas Qualifiers:
Danon Bourbon
Six Speed
Wonder Dean
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Need Defections to Get In:
21 Chief Wallabee (50 points)
22 Chip Honcho (49 points)
23 Intrepido (38 points)
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Jarrod Horak’s “Exceptional Eleven” Kentucky Derby 2026 Contenders (4-13-26)
1 – RENEGADE (Into Mischief – Spice is Nice, by Curlin) – Trainer: Todd Pletcher – Last Ranking (1)
Comments: The G1 Arkansas Derby hero owns strong late pace ratings and will probably have two workouts prior to the first Saturday in May. Irad Ortiz, Jr. had options but opted to ride this one in the Derby.
2 – COMMANDMENT (Into Mischief – Sippican Harbor, by Orb) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (2)
Comments: He captured his last four starts including back-to-back Derby points race triumphs (G2 FOY, G1 Florida Derby). He keeps switching riders and winning races, and Luis Saez will pilot him for the first time in the Ky Derby.
3 – CHIEF WALLABEE (Constitution – A La Lucie by Medaglia d’Oro) – Trainer: Bill Mott – Last Ranking (3)
Comments: Ran well without winning in the G2 FOY and G1 Florida Derby. He breezed 4f in 49.60 (15/79) at Payson Park on April 11. He worked in company with Batten Down and galloped out in front. He added blinkers on April 11 and is expected to wear them in the Ky Derby.
4 – THE PUMA (Essential Quality – Eve of War, by Declaration of War) – Trainer: Gustavo Delgado – Last Ranking (4)
Comments: Came back three weeks after winning the G3 Tampa Bay Derby and just missed in the Florida Derby (G1) on March 28. He returned to the worktab with an easy half-mile maintenance move in 52.32 (67/70) at Gulfstream on April 11.
5 – FURTHER ADO (Gun Runner – Sky Dreamer, by Sky Mesa) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (5)
Comments: Earned a big 106 BSF in his romping win in the Blue Grass at Keeneland. Irad Ortiz, Jr. jumps ship despite that giant effort and John Velazquez will pilot him in the Derby. His best two career speed ratings were earned at Keeneland and he romped both times.
6 – EMERGING MARKET (Candy Ride – Wild Empress, by Empire Maker) – Trainer: Chad Brown – Last Ranking (6)
Comments: This horse might only have two starts but he acts like he has run a dozen times. The professional son of Candy Ride edged more experienced rival Pavlovian in the LA Derby (G2) and that was just his second career start. Flavien Prat guided home Commandment in the Florida Derby but decided to stick with this one on the first Saturday in May. He breezed a half-mile in 49.40 (4/39) at Payson Park on April 12. Chad Brown liked the work and the gallop out. He will have one more work at Payson Park before shipping to Churchill Downs. He will have his final Derby breeze under the Twin Spires.
7 – FULLEFFORT (Liam’s Map – Callmethesqueeze, by Awesome Again) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (7)
Comments: He has worked twice at Churchill since winning the Jeff Ruby (G3) at Turfway on all-weather ground. He breezed 4f in 48.40 (14/44) on April 10.
8 – GOLDEN TEMPO (Curlin – Carrumba, by Bernardini) – Trainer: Cherie DeVaux – Last Ranking (8)
Comments: All four starts at the Fair Grounds with a points race victory in the Lecomte (G3) and show finishes in the Risen Star (G2) and LA Derby (G2). He has worked twice at Keeneland since his last start including a 5f breeze in 1:00.80 (3/20) on April 10.
9 – SILENT TACTIC (Tacitus – Magical Sign, by Gun Runner) – Trainer: Mark Casse – Last Ranking (9)
Comments: Mark Casse’s consistent closer finished first or second in all six outings. He breezed a half-mile in 49.40 (26/59) at Oaklawn on April 12.
10 – POTENTE (Into Mischief – Sweet Sting, by Awesome Again) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (10)
Comments: He is lightly raced and versatile. He dueled and won his dirt sprint bow in January, and stalked and scored in the San Felipe (G2) second time out. He did all of the pace dirty work and was second best in the SA Derby (G1). Bob Baffert’s $2.4 million son of Into Mischief fits on numbers and is all upside.
11 – SO HAPPY (Runhappy – So Cunning, by Blame) – Trainer: Mark Glatt – Last Ranking (11)
Comments: Upset Potente in the SA Derby (G1). I like his stalking style and he continues to get faster. He will work at Santa Anita on April 18 or 19, and will ship to Churchill on April 21 for trainer Mark Glatt. Mike Smith is his rider and his final Derby work will occur at Churchill.
Next Nine (last start/latest workout)
(12) Incredibolt – 1st Virginia Derby. 4f in 47.90 (6/70) at Palm Meadows on April 11.
(13) Pavlovian – 2nd LA Derby. 4f in 49.00 (45/81) at Santa Anita on April 5.
(14) Albus – 1st Wood Memorial.
(15) Stark Contrast – 2nd Jeff Ruby Steaks. 4f in 50.80 (84/90) at Churchill on April 11.
(16) Right to Party – 2nd Wood Memorial.
(17) Wonder Dean – 1st UAE Derby.
(18) Six Speed – 2nd UAE.
(19) Danon Bourbon – 1st Fukuryu Stakes (Japan).
(20) Ottinho – 2nd Blue Grass.
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