The John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park was the latest road to Kentucky Derby 2026 prep race and Great White held off Fulleffort by a neck. In this report, I will recap the John Battaglia Memorial, update the points standings, and share my exceptional eleven Derby contenders.
I cover all of the Kentucky Derby 2026 points races on my Runaway Horse video channel, and through 22 points races, my top choices have 8 wins, 4 runner-up finishes, and 2 show finishes. The next Derby points race is the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 28. The Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park will also be run on Feb. 28, and the other Derby points race this week is the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn on March 1.
Gotham field: 1 – Balboa, 2 – Hammond, 3 – Crown the Buckeye, 4 – Fourth and One, 5 – Right to Party, 6 – Iron Honor, 7 – Exhibition Only, 8 – Creole Chrome, 9 – Dirty Rich.
Fountain of Youth field: 1 – Jackson Hole, 2 – Rockies Balboa, 3 – Talkin, 4 – Commandment, 5 – Bravaro, 6 – Chief Wallabee, 7 – Napoleon Solo, 8 – Bull by the Horns, 9 – Global Aviator, 10 – Solitude Dude, 11 – Lost Money.
Rebel Stakes field: 1 – Bravaro, 2 – Litmus Test, 3 – Class President, 4 – Blackout Time, 5 – Honey’s To Blame, 6 – Strategic Risk, 7 – Silent Tactic, 8 – Rancho Santa Fe, 9 – Time for Music, 10 – Soldier N Diplomat.
Cherie DeVaux’s late developing sophomore colt Reagan’s Honor followed up a dirt route maiden win on the Lecomte undercard on Jan. 17 (81 BSF) with a romping dirt route win as the favorite on Feb. 19 (98 BSF). He wired the field in both of those races and is expected to make his stakes debut in the Blue Grass at Keeneland on April 4.
Greenwich Village won the Pasadena Stakes by a nose at one mile on turf at Santa Anita on Feb. 22. Bob Baffert’s Quality Road colt received a BSF of 82 for his win on Sunday and he might go next in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park on March 21.
Emerging Market, a debut winner at a mile and forty yards at Tampa bay Downs for Chad Brown on Feb. 7 (96 BSF), might go next in the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds on March 21.
Speaking of Chad Brown, his impressive debut winner Canaletto is on target for the Tampa Bay Derby on March 7. Sam F. Davis show finisher The Puma is also targeting that race. Gustavo Delgado’s Essential Quality colt hit the board in both career starts and is still a maiden. Javier Castellano will ride.
Kentucky Derby 2026 Points Race Recaps
John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park (2-21-26): Race favorite Street Beast set the pace from the inside post and faded out of contention. Great White ($32.32) stalked wide, kicked clear, and prevailed by a neck over late runner Fulleffort. The latter closed from 10th to just miss in a good effort. Maximus Prime rallied for the show at 88-1 odds and was followed by 112-1 bomber Baytown Dreamer (4th), Steel Imperium (5th), Kilo Tango (6th), Attfield (7th), Aces Honor (8th), Two Out Hero (9th), Time for Money (10th), and Street Beast (11th). Alex Achard rode the winner for John Ennis. Fractions: 23.88, 48.84, 1:14.65, 1:40.01, 1:46.83.
Kentucky Derby 2026 Points Race Results
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
Gotham (50-25-15-10-5) – Feb. 28
Rebel (50-25-15-10-5) – March 1
Tampa Bay Derby (50-25-15-10-5) – March 7
San Felipe (50-25-15-10-5) – March 7
Virginia Derby (50-25-15-10-5) – March 14
Jeff Ruby Steaks (100-50-25-15-10) – March 21
Louisiana Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 21
Arkansas Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 28
Florida Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 28
UAE Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – March 28
Blue Grass (100-50-25-15-10) – April 4
SA Derby (100-50-25-15-10) – April 4
Wood Memorial (100-50-25-15-10) – April 4
Lexington (20-10-6-4-2) – April 11
Top 20 Kentucky Derby 2026 Points Leaders (thru 2-24-26)
Paladin (60 points)
Chip Honcho (39 points)
Golden Tempo (35 points)
Silent Tactic (25 points)
Renegade (25 points)
Intrepido (23 points)
Universe (23 points)
Plutarch (23 points)
Pavlovian (20 points)
Express Kid (20 points)
Nearly (20 points)
Talk to Me Jimmy (20 points)
Great White (20 points)
Litmus Test (19 points)
Soldier N Diplomat (13 points)
Grittiness (11 points)
Carson Street (11 points)
Napoleon Solo (10 points)
Further Ado (10 points)
Strategic Risk (10 points)
Jarrod Horak’s “Exceptional Eleven” Kentucky Derby 2026 Contenders (2-24-26)
1 – PALADIN (Gun Runner – Secret Sigh, by Tapit) – Trainer: Chad Brown – Last Ranking (1)
Comments: Chad Brown’s $1.9 million colt is 3-for-3 and he is getting faster on the BSF scale (93-87-85). He won the G2 Remsen to end his juvenile season and started 2026 with a victory in the G2 Risen Star. Both of those races were at a mile and an eighth, and the Blue Grass Stakes (nine furlongs) at Keeneland on April 4 is his next assignment.
2 – RENEGADE (Into Mischief – Spice if Nice, by Curlin) – Trainer: Todd Pletcher – Last Ranking (2)
Comments: The Sam F. Davis Stakes winner at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 7 (92 BSF) returned to the worktab on Feb. 20 with a half-mile move in 50.80 (15/21) at Palm Beach Downs. He is expected to make his next start in the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn on March 28.
3 – LITMUS TEST (Nyquist – Study Hard, by Malibu Moon) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (3)
Comments: Last year’s Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) hero has worked seven times at Santa Anita this year including a half-mile move in 47.80 (6/82) on Feb. 21. He is entered in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn on March 1.
4 – NEARLY (Not This Time – IB Prospecting, by Mineshaft) – Trainer: Todd Pletcher – Last Ranking (4)
Comments: The Holy Bull (G3) winner got back on the worktab with a half-mile breeze in 48.63 (5/26) at Palm Beach Downs on Feb. 13, and he went four panels in 50.98 (18/21) on Feb. 20. He is expected to run next in the Florida Derby (G1) on March 28.
5 – GOLDEN TEMPO (Curlin – Carrumba, by Bernardini) – Trainer: Cherie DeVaux – Last Ranking (5)
Comments: Ran well in both stakes starts this year. He won the Grade 3 Lecomte in January and rallied for the show in the Risen Star (G2) on Feb. 14. They are planning on working him in blinkers and if he trains forwardly, he will wear them in the Louisiana Derby on March 21.
6 – FURTHER ADO (Gun Runner – Sky Dreamer, by Sky Mesa) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (6)
Comments:The 2025 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) winner has worked five times at Payson Park this year including a 5f bullet in 1:01.00 (1/28) on Feb. 21. He is scheduled to begin his sophomore campaign in the Tampa Bay Derby on March 7.
7 – NAPOLEON SOLO (Liam’s Map – Atomic Blonde, by Scat Daddy) – Trainer: Chad Summers – Last Ranking (7)
Comments: The Grade 1 Champagne hero returned to the worktab at Palm Meadows on Jan. 14 and has drilled four bullets. His last move was a half-mile breeze in 48.45 (4/47) on Feb. 20. He is entered in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 28.
8 – BLACKOUT TIME (Not This Time – Beauty Parlor, by Elusive Quality) – Trainer: Ken McPeek – Last Ranking (8)
Comments: Last year’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1) runner-up has breezed five times this year including a 5f move in 1:01.80 (26/50) at Fair Grounds on Feb. 21. He is entered in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn on March 1.
9 – BRANT (Gun Runner – Tynan, by Liam’s Map) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (9)
Comments: He won the Del Mar Futurity (G1) in 2025 and was last seen finishing third in the BC Juvenile (G1). He has worked five times at Santa Anita this year including a 6f gate bullet in 1:11.80 (1/7) on Feb. 21. He might start his sophomore campaign in the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 7.
10 – COMMANDMENT (Into Mischief – Sippican Harbor, by Orb) – Trainer: Brad Cox – Last Ranking (10)
Comments: Mucho Macho Man Stakes winner has worked five times at Payson Park since that Jan. 3 race. He breezed 5f in 1:02.20 (7/28) on Feb. 21 and is entered in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 28.
11 – PLUTARCH (Into Mischief – Stellar Wind, by Curlin) – Trainer: Bob Baffert – Last Ranking (11)
Comments: He earned his diploma at 1 1/8 miles on turf (November 2025). He returned to dirt, attended the pace with Intrepido, and won the Robert Lewis (G3) by 3/4ths of a length at one mile on Feb. 7. He has not returned to the worktab since his last start and there is no word on his next start. The San Felipe (G2) on March 7 is the next Kentucky Derby prep at Santa Anita, followed by the SA Derby (G1) on April 4.
Next Nine: (12) Silent Tactic, (13) Intrepido, (14) Reagan’s Honor, (15) So Happy, (16) Pyromancer, (17) Bravaro, (18) Canaletto, (19) Potente, (20) Iron Honor
