Everyone loves a foal photo! The cute, fuzzy face of a young Thoroughbred racehorse elicits a smile from any horse racing fan. For the 2026 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, take a closer look at each of this year’s contenders as foals in post position order with images courtesy of The Jockey Club.
Sofia Thompson knew little to nothing about the racing industry until a summer job several years ago, working as a hotwalker in the barn of Hall of Famer Bill Mott, changed the course of her life.
Nimbly mounting United Arab Emirates Derby winner Wonder Dean, Takuya Nakano meets veteran Churchill Downs “pony boy” Mike Crowder and heads out to the track at Churchill for their early morning exercise.
The Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event in Lexington, Ky., brings together the world’s top horse-and-rider combinations for one of upper-level eventing’s most demanding tests.
This year’s field reflected that level of competition, with the sport’s elite in attendance, including world No. 1 Harry Meade and world No. 2 Boyd Martin.
