Saturday, May 2, 2026
Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve GI $5,000,000 3 Year Olds 1 1/4 miles
Phil has a question:
How would you know it’s Derby time if Phil didn’t drag out a couple of old chestnuts.
John Jeremiah Sullivan – Horseman Pass By
Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.
Fast Eddie Felson
The older the violin, the sweeter the music.
Larry McMurtry
Age appears best in four things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust and old authors to read.
For every moment of triumph, for every instance of beauty, many souls must be trampled.
Hunter S. Thompson
| PP | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | M/L Odds | Phil’s odds | |
| Main Contenders | ||||||
| 6 | Commandment | Brad H. Cox | Luis Saez | 6-1 | 6.0 | |
| 1 | Renegade | Todd A. Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 4-1 | 5.2 | |
| 18 | Further Ado | Brad H. Cox | John R. Velazquez | 6-1 | 5.8 | |
| 15 | Potente | Bob Baffert | Juan J. Hernandez | 20-1 | 11.3 | |
| 9 | The Puma | Gustavo Delgado | Javier Castellano | 10-1 | 10.0 | |
| Gotta Shot | ||||||
| 7 | Danon Bourbon | Manabu Ikezoe | Atsuya Nishimura | 20-1 | 18.0 | |
| 8 | So Happy | Mark Glatt | Mike E. Smith | 15-1 | 13.3 | |
| 12 | Chief Wallabee | William I. Mott | Junior Alvarado | 8-1 | 10.6 | |
| 15 | Emerging Market | Chad C. Brown | Flavien Prat | 15-1 | 16.2 | |
| 16 | Pavlovian | Doug F. O’Neill | Edwin A. Maldonado | 30-1 | 24.9 | |
| Need A Trip and a Big Break | ||||||
| 13 | Silent Tactic | Mark E. Casse | Cristian A. Torres | 20-1 | 27.5 | |
| 10 | Wonder Dean (JPN) | Daisuke Takayanagi | Oisin Murphy | 30-1 | 30.6 | |
| 4 | Litmus Test | Bob Baffert | Martin Garcia | 30-1 | 25.7 | |
| 11 | Incredibolt | Riley Mott | Jaime A. Torres | 20-1 | 39.6 | |
| 20 | Fulleffort | Brad H. Cox | Tyler Gaffalione | 20-1 | 52.0 | |
| Need a Trip and Big Break and a Prayer | ||||||
| 3 | Intrepido | Jeff Mullins | Hector Isaac Berrios | 50-1 | 59.9 | |
| 19 | Golden Tempo | Cherie DeVaux | Jose L. Ortiz | 30-1 | 59.9 | |
| 17 | Six Speed | Bhupat Seemar | Brain Hernandez Jr. | 50-1 | 59.9 | |
| 2 | Albus | Riley Mott | Manny Franco | 30-1 | 49.3 | |
| 5 | Right to Party | Kenneth G. McPeek | Christopher Elliott | 30-1 | 70.0
|
|
| AE | ||||||
| 21 | Great White | John Ennis | Alex Achard | 50-1 | 70.0 | |
| 22 | Ocelli | D, Whitworth Becman | Joseph D. Ramos | 50-1 | 70.0 | |
| 23 | Robusta | Doug O’Neill | Emisael Jaramillo | 50-1 | 70.0 | |
| 23 | Corona de Oro | Dallas Stewart | Brain Hernandez Jr. | 50-1 | 70.0 | |
2026 Kentucky Derby CLII PPs
CTHS Alberta Night of Champions Gala
Century Mile
Purchase Kentucky Derby Party Tickets
2026 Kentucky Derby CLIII – Steve Haskin Derby Recap Ranking And Other Dozens And Sundre Stories
Brisnet – Get to know the 2026 Kentucky Derby contenders
Twin Spires – 2026 Kentucky Derby Picks & Expert Handicapping Selections
America’s Best Racing – Patrick Reed – 2026 Kentucky Derby Cheat Sheet
You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.
Yogi Berra
The secret of a happy life is respect. Respect for yourself and respect for others.
Ayad Akhtar
With A Little Help From My Friends
Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.
Satchel Paige
I never lie because I don’t fear anyone. You only lie when you’re afraid.
John Gotti
A true hero helps others, not for praise, but because it is right.
Robin Hood
Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.
Mae West
A gentleman would be ashamed should his deeds not match his words.
Confucius
With A Little Help From My Friends
DRF – Mike Welsch – 2026 Kentucky Derby Clocker: Potente, Intrepido turn in blistering works
Paulick Report – Mike Davey – Todd Pletcher Embraces Tough Derby Draw For Favorite Renegade
Bloodhorse – Sean Collins – Derby a ‘Dream Come True’ for Jockey Maldonado
Bloodhorse – Sean Collins – Preakness Winner Torres Returns to Big Stage in Derby
Bloodhorse – Olivia Newman – Potente a ‘Heart Horse’ For Farrell
Bloodhorse – Henry Q. Murphy – Breeder McDonald Eyes Sport’s Pinnacle with Fulleffort
Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness.
Zhuangzi
Bloodhorse – Byron King and Sean Collins – Potente, Intrepido Set Track Ablaze in Final Derby Work
Paulick Report – Kentucky Derby Update: Chief Wallabee Among Six To Post Final Works
Bloodhorse – BH at the Derby: Post Position Draw Reactions
Phil has a question:
Was Mike Repole’s reaction: ƒΠ©ℵ!!!!!!!!!!!!
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.
Lao Tzu
America’s Best Racing – Patrick Reed – 2026 Kentucky Derby Cheat Sheet
ESPN – AP – Kentucky Derby favorite Renegade placed inside with No. 1 post
He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
Confucius
With A Little Help From My Friends
TDN – Team Cox Leads Kentucky Derby And Kentucky Oaks Workers On Early Saturday
Bloodhorse – Byron King – Favored Renegade Must Overcome Inside Post in KY Derby
Paulick Report – Lillian Davis – Renegade 4-1 From The Rail For Kentucky Derby 152
Bloodhorse – BH at the Derby: Derby Contenders Perform Final Works
TDN – Renegade Draws Rail, Favored at 4-1 for Kentucky Derby
If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
J.R.R. Tolkien
Bloodhorse – Byron King – Further Ado, Fulleffort Shine Brightest in Derby Works
TDN -Katie Petrunyak – All In the Family with Taylor Made’s Derby Double Threat
Bloodhorse – Frank Angst – Chip Honcho to Skip Kentucky Derby, Target Preakness
Phil has a question:
Has the thrill of just being in the Kentucky Derby gone.
Bloodhorse – Gregory A, Hall – Tammaro Getting a Line on Kentucky Derby 152
Bloodhorse – Bob Ehalt – Favorite’s Role for Renegade Will Not Faze Repole
TDN – Friday Derby/Oaks Notes: Contenders Put In Final Drills, Busy Saturday Ahead
Paulick Report – Inside Trip Could Help Right To Party ‘Run The Race Of His Life’ In Kentucky Derby
Phil has a question:
Will the lexicographers ever remove words from the dictionary like – original or authentic – words that have become meaningless from over and misuse.
We could have saved the Earth but we were too damned cheap.
Kurt Vonnegut
Bloodhorse – Dick Downey – 12-Second Furlongs: Contenders That Didn’t Make Cut
Bloodhorse – J. Keeler Johnson – 2026 Kentucky Derby: How Fast a Pace Will We See?
Bloodhorse – Lizzy Madden – Emerging Market, So Happy, Wonder Dean Post Derby Works
Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone.
John Wooden
Bloodhorse – Byron King – Smith, 59, in Pursuit of Derby History Aboard So Happy
Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.
Oscar Wilde
Bloodhorse – Ortiz Jr. Riding Wave of Success Into Kentucky Derby
Phil has a question:
Has the thrill of just being in the Kentucky Derby gone.
With A Little Help From My Friends
Bloodhorse – ESPN Louisville Plans Six Days of Derby Coverage
TDN – Wednesday Derby/Oaks Notes: California Contenders Take To The Track
Bloodhorse – Alan Porter – Japan’s Derby Contenders: A Tale of Two Pedigrees
Bloodhorse – America’s Best Racing – Tom Pedulla – Meet the Jockeys of the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Bloodhorse – Dick Downey – 12-Second Furlongs Portend Kentucky Derby Success
Bloodhorse – America’s Best Racing – From the Start: A Look at Kentucky Derby Post Positions
Bloodhorse – The 48-Year Love Story That Produced So Happy
Bloodhorse – Byron King – Further Ado Honed, Maintains Top Spot in Derby Dozen
Bloodhorse – Sean Collins – Brown Points Iron Honor to Preakness Instead of Derby
It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.
TDN – New Wagers, Big Pools Highlight Kentucky Derby Week at Churchill
TDN – Classic Contenders Chief Wallabee, Lorelei Lee Work at Churchill Downs
Paulick Report – Bob Baffert-Trained Potente Works At Santa Anita, Will Ship To Churchill Wednesday
Irony is wasted on the stupid.
TDN – Intrepido, Hoping for Derby Spot, Turns in Strong Work at Santa Anita
Paulick Report – Victor Ryan – Kentucky Derby Hopeful Pavlovian On Santa Anita’s Sunday Work Tab
Bloodhorse – Elliott Awaits First KY Derby Mount With Right to Party
Bloodhorse – Sean Collins – Ottinho to Bypass Kentucky Derby
TDN – Ottinho Out of Derby But Works Well at Keeneland, Oaks Hopeful Bella Ballerina Breezes
Bloodhorse – Joe Perez – Renegade Has Penultimate Derby Work at Palm Beach Downs
Paulick Report – The Puma Comes Through With ‘Big Work’ At Gulfstream
Bloodhorse – The Puma, Albus Among Saturday Kentucky Derby Workers
Paulick Report – Mike Davey – Kentucky Derby Firster Jaime Torres ‘All About Enjoying The Moment’
Thank you for sending me a copy of your book. I’ll waste no time reading it.
Bloodhorse – J Keeler Johnson – 2026 Kentucky Derby: 3 Live Longshots to Consider
Phil has a question:
Was Potente’s Santa Anita Derby loss a result of “Who needs a Plan B when Plan A is so good.”
We must respect the other fellow’s religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart.
H. L. Mencken
Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.
Vincent Van Gogh
Bloodhorse – Frank Angst – The Road – Equibase Ratings Flatter Renegade, Commandment
Bloodhorse – Joe Perez – Renegade Has Penultimate Derby Work at Palm Beach Downs
Bloodhorse – Who Will Be the Kentucky Derby 152 Favorite?
America’s Best Racing – Patrick Reed – 2026 Kentucky Derby Cheat Sheet
Phil has a question:
Who’s gonna get the first call out of the gate and the first call after the first quarter mile.
America’s Best Racing – Mike Curry – The Basics: How to Bet the Kentucky Derby
Phil has a question:
Where did the last son of Mr. Prospector stand.
America’s Best Racing – Mike Curry – Sixteen Things to Know About the Kentucky Derby
TDN – Kentucky Derby/Oaks Hopefuls Spotted on Track at Oaklawn Park
Bloodhorse – Jay Hovdey – To Win the Derby, a Jock Needs All the Right Moves
TDN – Kentucky Derby Notes: Commandment, Fulleffort Lead Friday Work Tab At Churchill
Paulick Report – ‘Nice And Relaxed’: Kentucky Derby Hopeful Golden Tempo Works At Keeneland
The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.
Bertrand Russell
America’s Best Racing – Mike Curry – An Early Look at the Probable Field for the 2026 Kentucky Derby
Paulick Report – Who Will Irad Choose? Brad Cox Awaiting Kentucky Derby Decision From Ortiz
DRF – David Grening – Riley Mott hoping Albus will continue progression in Kentucky Derby
Horse Racing Nation – 2026 Kentucky Derby Contenders
America’s Best Racing – Mike Curry – Beginner’s Guide to the 2026 Kentucky Derby
The Rookie Wire – Check out 16 milliners, hatmakers selling Kentucky Derby 2026 hats
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
Lao Tzu
Phil M Stockmen