The second Saturday in December produced a bigger shakeup in the Rookie Rankings for next spring’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve than many racings fan might have expected.

Two new names have joined the list. One is unsurprising: Litmus Test. A top-four finisher in the Del Mar Futurity, Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, and FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA, the bay colt delivered a career-best performance in Saturday’s Los Alamitos Futurity at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Facing five rivals, Litmus Test raced in second place for most of the way before taking over to triumph by 1 ¼ lengths in the quick time of 1:42.38. He raced a bit greenly in the homestretch and seemed reluctant to draw away from pacesetter Provenance until stretch-running Blacksmith launched a late challenge; at that point, Litmus Test found another gear, suggesting he may have had more in reserve than it first appeared.

Litmus Test debuts in the #7 slot for Week 3 of the Rookie Rankings. His triumph in the Los Alamitos Futurity also flatters Ted Noffey (#1) and Mr. A. P. (#5), who finished ahead of Litmus Test in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

The other new name in this week’s Rookie Rankings is Iron Honor. The son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist debuted on Saturday in a six-furlong maiden race at Aqueduct, in which he gamely chased down a determined pacesetter to win by 1 ½ lengths.

Iron Honor’s margin of victory wasn’t eye-catching, but two other factors make his performance noteworthy. One, the runner-up pulled 7 ½ lengths clear of the third-place finisher. Two, Iron Honor reached the finish line in 1:11.23, a fast time on a day when the Aqueduct dirt was playing on the slow side.

There’s a good chance Iron Honor will improve by leaps and bounds with experience and maturity. As a result, he’s taken over the #10 slot in the Rookie Rankings.

To make way for Litmus Test and Iron Honor, Englishman and Renegade have fallen off the list. Englishman, a runaway maiden winner, remains an exciting Kentucky Derby prospect, but he hasn’t recorded a timed workout in nearly two months. Renegade, runner-up in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes on Dec. 6, can be considered the first “also-eligible” in the rankings at #11.

Here’s how the latest Rookie Rankings stack up:

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1. Ted Noffey: Seeks to become the fourth son of Into Mischief to win the Kentucky Derby following Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (2021), and Sovereignty (2025).

Owner: Spendthrift Farm

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Last Race: 1^st, FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA, Oct. 31 at Del Mar

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2. Further Ado: Son of Gun Runner has the pedigree to improve with maturity, making his win in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes all the more significant.

Owner: Spendthrift Farm

Trainer: Brad Cox

Last Race: 1^st, Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs

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3. Paladin: Past Chad Brown trainees Sierra Leone, Zandon, and Normandy Invasion parlayed Remsen Stakes defeats into top-four Kentucky Derby finishes. Paladin is ahead of the game since he won the Remsen.

Owners: Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant, Brook Smith, and Summer Wind Equine

Trainer: Chad Brown

Last Race: 1^st, Remsen Stakes, Dec. 6 at Aqueduct

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4. Satono Voyage: This son of leading North American stallion Into Mischief aims to become the first Japan-based horse to win the Kentucky Derby.

Owner: Hajime Satomi

Trainer: Hiroyasu Tanaka

Last Race: 1^st, Cattleya Stakes, Nov. 29 at Tokyo Racecourse

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5. Mr. A. P.: His runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile looks even better following the success of Litmus Test in the Los Alamitos Futurity.

Owners: Holly Wilson and David Wilson

Trainer: Vladimir Cerin

Last Race: 2^nd, FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA, Oct. 31 at Del Mar

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6. Blackout Time: Seeks to become the first son of red-hot stallion Not This Time to win the Kentucky Derby. Not This Time’s best Derby finish as a sire to date came in 2022 with runner-up Epicenter.

Owners: Brookdale Racing, Lance Gasaway, and Magdalena Racing

Trainer: Kenny McPeek

Last Race: 2^nd, Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, Oct. 4 at Keeneland Race Course

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7. Litmus Test: Durable colt has improved with every start and heads into winter with plenty of upside.

Owners: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Last Race: 1^st, Los Alamitos Futurity, Dec. 13 at Los Alamitos Race Course

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8. Napoleon Solo: Set a blazing pace in the Champagne Stakes and still won by 6 ½ lengths over a field including Universe, who has since placed in multiple graded stakes.

Owner: Gold Square

Trainer: Chad Summers

Last Race: 1^st, Champagne Stakes, Oct. 4 at Belmont at the Big A

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9. Cannoneer: In his maiden win, Cannoneer completed seven furlongs in 1:21.63, only 1.19 off the track record set by two-time Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Groupie Doll in 2012.

Owners: St. Elias Stable and Stonestreet Stables

Trainer: Brad Cox

Last Race: 1^st, maiden special weight, Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs

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10. Iron Honor: Fast maiden win suggests he has a bright future, especially since his pedigree is geared toward success running long.

Owners: St. Elias Stable, William Lawrence, and Cathi Glassman

Trainer: Chad Brown

Last Race: 1^st, maiden special weight, Dec. 13 at Aqueduct