Leading Change

Leading Change won his career debut at first asking with a big debut victory by 6 1/2 lengths atop a 10-horse field going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs on June 7, 2026. Leading Change then wasted no time going up into stakes company and was immediately successful in his second lifetime start when victorious in the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby going 1 1/16 miles on July 11. Sent off as the heavy favorite on the tote board in a six-horse field in the Indiana Derby under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Leading Change pressed the pace throughout, took over in the stretch, and held off a late bid by runner-up Our Moneyman to prevail by a neck.

The third career start for Leading Change was truly historic when the 3-year-old colt was shipped to Saratoga Race Course for the marquee race of the Spa season, the Grade 1 $1.25 million DraftKings Travers Stakes going 1 1/4 miles and emerged victorious by half a length over Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo and Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo, who finished second and third. Sent off at odds over 10-1 in a field of 10 starters in the Travers, Leading Change pressed the stalked the pace throughout and wore down Napoleon Solo nearing the wire and held off a late charge by Golden Tempo for the win. It was the first time in the long history of the "Mid-Summer Derby" that the race had been won by a horse making only his third career start.

Leading Charge is trained by Brad Cox. He was bred in Kentucky by the sire Gun Runner out of the dam Starship Warpspeed by Congrats.