March 16, 2026, 9:45 a.m. ET
- Holy Bull winner Nearly, trained by Todd Pletcher, leads our ranking of the top five horses on the Kentucky Derby trail.
- Two key prep races are set for Saturday — the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park and the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.
Incredibolt moved into the picture for Kentucky Derby 152 with Saturday’s victory in the $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs.
Trained by Riley Mott, Incredibolt earned 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs, virtually clinching a spot in the Run for the Roses.
The next three weekends are the biggest on the trail to the Kentucky Derby, with a total of seven races each offering a total of 200 qualifying points toward the Run for the Roses. Those include 100 points for the winners and 50 points for the runners-up.
Buy tickets to Kentucky Derby 152 at Churchill Downs
Two of those races are set for this Saturday — the $777,000, Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park and the $1 million, Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.
With seven weeks to go until the Kentucky Derby, here’s our ranking of the top five contenders:
Owner: Centennial Farms (Donald Little).
Trainer: Todd Pletcher.
Jockey: John Velazquez.
Sire: Not This Time.
Road to Kentucky Derby points: 20 (No. 21).
Career earnings: $249,900.
Last race: Won Grade 3 Holy Bull on Jan. 31 at Gulfstream.
Likely next race: Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream.
Owners: Mrs. John Magnier; Michael Tabor; Derrick Smith; Peter Brant; Brook Smith; Summer Wind Equine (Jane Lyon).
Trainer: Chad Brown.
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione.
Sire: Gun Runner.
Road to Kentucky Derby points: 60 (No. 1).
Career earnings: $484,250.
Last race: Won Grade 2 Risen Star on Feb. 14 at Fair Grounds.
Likely next race: Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 4 at Keeneland.
Owner: Wathnan Racing (Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani).
Trainer: Brad Cox.
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Sire: Into Mischief.
Road to Kentucky Derby points: 50 (No. 6).
Career earnings: $403,539.
Last race: Won Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on Feb. 28 at Gulfstream.
Likely next race: Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream.
Owners: Robert and Lawana Low; Repole Stable (Mike Repole).
Trainer: Todd Pletcher.
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Sire: Into Mischief.
Road to Kentucky Derby points: 25 (No. 14).
Career earnings: $199,000.
Last race: Won Sam F. Davis on Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay.
Likely next race: Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on March 28 at Oaklawn.
Owners: Michael & Katherine Ball.
Trainer: Bill Mott.
Jockey: Junior Alvarado.
Sire: Constitution.
Road to Kentucky Derby points: 25 (No. 15).
Career earnings: $117,600.
Last race: Second in Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on Feb. 28 at Gulfstream.
Likely next race: Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream.
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @KentuckyDerby_CJ
Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations. If you purchase through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.
Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose. While we do our utmost to offer good advice and information we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling. We do our best to make sure all the information that we provide on this site is correct. However, from time to time mistakes will be made and we will not be held liable. Please check any stats or information if you are unsure how accurate they are. No guarantees are made with regards to results or financial gain. All forms of betting carry financial risk and it is up to the individual to make bets with or without the assistance of information provided on this site and we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of following the betting tips provided on this site. Past performances do not guarantee success in the future and betting odds fluctuate from one minute to the next. The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. It is your sole responsibility to act in accordance with your local laws.