Express Kid

Express Kid, a California-bred Bodexpress colt, posted a 34.50-1 upset victory in the Remington Springboard Mile Dec. 20 to jump on the road to the 2026 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.

The bay colt was a bargain $2,000 yearling purchase at the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association auction in fall 2024, bought by Steve Haahr. Express Kid made his debut in July 2025 at Canterbury Park in Minnesota and won a 4 ½-furlong spring by a neck after setting a pressured pace. He then finished second in his next start and stakes debut, the six-furlong Prairie Meadows Freshman Stakes in August after being forwardly placed again early.

Express Kid tired to finish sixth of seven in the 6 ½-furlong Clevor Trevor Stakes in his Remington Park debut Sept. 28, and then was switched to turf for a 7 ½-furlong allowance race held around two turns and responded with a gritty head victory. That set him up for his huge effort in the Remington Springboard Mile back on dirt, where he broke from the far outside post position and was hustled by jockey Jose Alvarez to take the lead in the first turn of the two-turn mile race.

Racing in an easy rhythm, Express Kid opened up on the field in the far turn and was never seriously threatened by odds-on favorite and previously unbeaten Oaklawn Park invader Arctic Beast winning by 6 ¼ lengths. He earned 10 qualifying points for the 2026 Derby with the win.

Following that impressive victory, Express Kid was sold at a Fasig-Tipton digital sale in January 2026 for $800,000, and his new owners transferred him to Sunland Park-based trainer Justin Evans. He made his next start in the $500,000, 1 1/16-mile Sunland Park Derby on Feb. 15 at the track, another Kentucky Derby qualifying points race.

Sent off as the even-money post-time favorite in the Sunland Derby and with Juan Hernandez riding for the first time, Express Kid grabbed the early lead and set an honest pace through the backstretch and into the turn. He momentarily appeared to draw clear of the field in the homestretch, but pace-pressing Pavlovian moved up to challenge, and the pair dueled to the finish with Pavlovian prevailing by a nose. Express Kid added 10 more qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby, totaling 20 after two prep races.

Express Kid is out of the winning Street Sense mare Sensationalize. His second dam (maternal grandmother) is multiple stakes winner Stormy West.