While it’s never too early to start Kentucky Derby dreaming, there are multiple major prizes in the 2-year-old male division this weekend with Grade 1 stakes on the slate in New York, Kentucky, and Southern California that will be key tests that go a long way toward determining the Eclipse Award.

The Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity Saturday at Keeneland Race Course has long served as a springboard for promising 2-year-olds and offers the winner an expenses-paid berth in the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Oct. 31 at Del Mar as part of the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series. The race also offers qualifying points to the 2026 Kentucky Derby to the top five finishers on a scale of 10-5-3-2-1. This year’s race drew seven entrants.

1. Blackout Time: Improved upon a runner-up finish in his career debut sprinting in June at Churchill Downs with a front-running 9 ¾-length runaway stretching out to a mile Aug. 2 for a maiden race at Ellis Park. His Equibase Speed Figures indicate he can compete with this group but it’s a major step up in class.

JOCKEY: Cristian Torres; TRAINER: Ken McPeek

2. Big Dom: Named for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles’ chief security officer Dom DiSandro, the McKinzie colt showed grit in his debut when battling for a neck win Aug. 23 at Saratoga Race Course. His dam (mother), Half A. P., is a half-sister to 2003 champion 2-year-old filly Halfbridled, so Big Dom has some pedigree to match the talent.

JOCKEY: Irad Ortiz Jr.; TRAINER: Tom Amoss

3. Diciassette: Followed a July 20 debut win with a one-length score from off the pace in the Aug. 9 Proud Man Stakes, both at Gulfstream Park. The colt by champion sprinter Mitole stretches out around two turns for this 1 1/16-mile tilt against better competition. Needs to boost his speed figures to be a win threat but he’s shown tenacity in both previous starts.

JOCKEY: Jonathan Ocasio; TRAINER: Patrick Biancone

4. Spice Runner: The winner of the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes, Spice Runner showed a new dimension closing in that race and seemed to relish the added distance … no surprise for a colt by Hall of Famer Gun Runner. He’s the fourth-fastest 2-year-old in the field by Equibase Speed Figures, but this full-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Gunite looks the part of a colt beginning to figure things out. A major win threat.

JOCKEY: Tyler Gaffalione; TRAINER: Steve Asmussen

5. Litmus Test: Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert ships the Del Mar Futurity fourth-place finisher to Keeneland, where he is 1-for-13 since the start of 2021. Baffert has four 2-year-olds in the American Pharoah Stakes Presented by DK Horse Saturday at Santa Anita. Perhaps he thinks this Nyquist colt is a better fit against this group. He’s plenty fast on paper, but I’m skeptical he’ll fare much better in his second Grade 1 start.

JOCKEY: Flavien Prat; TRAINER: Bob Baffert

Ted Noffey winning the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes (Coglianese Photos/NYRA)

6. Ted Noffey: Into Mischief colt named after Spendthrift Farm general manager Ned Toffey simply dominated six opponents in the Grade 1 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful Stakes Sept. 1 at Saratoga to improve to 2-for-2. He earned a field-best 104 Equibase Speed Figure for the 8 ½-length Hopeful win. The one to beat.

JOCKEY: John Velazquez; TRAINER: Todd Pletcher

7. Ewing: Aptly named colt by Knicks Go honoring Hall of Fame NBA center Patrick Ewing improved to 2-for-2 with a one-length victory in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes Aug. 2. That followed a 12-length debut win for Ewing, whose ownership group includes influencer Griffin Johnson. The probable pacesetter very likely will influence the shape of the Breeders’ Futurity pace, but his speed figures indicate he’ll need to take a big step forward to be a factor at the finish.

JOCKEY: Jose Ortiz; TRAINER: Mark Casse

THE PICK: Spice Runner

LIVE LONGSHOT: Blackout Time

SUPERFECTA: 4-6-1-5