BloodHorse news editor Byron King presents his weekly Derby Dozen for 2026, with a look at his leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 2.

Four Kentucky Derby points races were held last weekend resulting in significant changes on Churchill Downs’ leaderboard and some movement in the Derby Dozen as well. Two are scheduled for the upcoming weekend: the Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds and the Sunland Park Derby at Sunland Park.

Check out America’s Best Racing’s Triple Crown page to keep up to date with stories and statistics on the road to the Kentucky Derby.

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1. Further Ado

Though he did not run quickly on the basis of speed figures in the fall when capturing the Nov. 29 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, let’s not forget that he posted a 105 Equibase Speed Figure and a 98 Beyer Speed Figure at Keeneland in a 20-length maiden romp a month earlier. He dipped to a 90 Equibase figure and an 82 Beyer in the Kentucky Jockey Club in an apparent bounce, but still won by 1 ¾ lengths against more accomplished foes than he faced in his maiden win. Freshened over the winter, he has a strong chance to circle back to his best and perhaps reach greater heights this spring.

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2. Nearly

Considering this colt is 3-for-3 at Gulfstream Park, recently topped by an authoritative Jan. 31 Holy Bull Stakes victory, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher understandably has him pointed to the March 28 Curlin Florida Derby at the South Florida track. Pletcher has won the Florida Derby eight times, and of those winners, Always Dreaming, went on to capture the 2017 Kentucky Derby, giving the trainer his second victory in the run for the roses.

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3. Paladin

Trainer Chad Brown is mirroring Sierra Leone’s racing schedule with this colt. After a season finale in the Remsen Stakes – a 1 1/8-mile race Paladin won, compared to Sierra Leone, who was second in 2023 – this colt returns over the same trip in the Feb. 14 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. Sierra Leone won the 2024 Risen Star in advance of earning his first top-level stakes win in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes before his nose runner-up finish in the Derby. Paladin figures to be a clear favorite in the Risen Star after a form-flattering Sam F. Davis Stakes victory from Remsen runner-up Renegade. Paladin climbs a spot from last week.

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4. Commandment

With all three of his starts having come around one turn, he remains a question mark in a two-turn route race, but he’ll get his opportunity soon enough in a race such as the Feb. 28 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes or another Derby prep around that time. He finished well in taking the Jan. 3 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at a mile, passing four horses to take the lead in midstretch, and then drawing away with a closing furlong in :12.87. Progeny of seven-time leading sire Into Mischief have three wins in the Derby: Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (by disqualification in 2021), and Sovereignty (2025).

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5. Silent Tactic

His Southwest Stakes victory Feb. 6 at Oaklawn Park was a beauty. Not only did he win going away by 3 ¼ lengths, but he passed nine horses in the final quarter-mile, striking the front with a sixteenth of a mile remaining and still pouring it on at the finish to register a closing half-furlong in :06.12. He is a horse who should love 1 ¼ miles in the Kentucky Derby. For completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.85, he earned a 103 Equibase Speed Figure and an 88 Beyer; now has a pair of wins and two seconds in four starts.

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6. Brant

Paladin cost $1.9 million at auction, but he’s not the most expensive purchase of the Derby Dozen runners. It’s Brant, who fetched $3 million last year during the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. As a Grade 1-winning son of Gun Runner, Brant will be headed to stud upon the conclusion of his racing career. Of course, how valuable he becomes for Zedan Racing Stables will depend in part on what he does this year at 3. The 2025 Del Mar Futurity winner is one of the most talented colts around, though stamina questions linger after he tired to finish third in the 1 1/16-mile FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA; three easy works for six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert so far in 2026.

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7. Litmus Test

Following his scratch from Friday’s Southwest, the 2025 Los Alamitos Futurity winner breezed the next day at Santa Anita Park, a sign he is in good health. Look for Bob Baffert to run him next month, perhaps in the March 7 San Felipe Stakes Presented by DK Horse at Santa Anita Park or in another Derby prep out of town. His Saturday work was nice, clocking a half-mile in :48.40. Not only did he outperform his Baffert-trained workmate passing the wire when encouraged on the gallop-out, but he also left two other horses breezing for other trainers far behind.

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8. Golden Tempo

Perfect in two starts at Fair Grounds, winning a Dec. 20 maiden race when sprinting and the 1 1/16-mile Lecomte Stakes in his first route Jan. 17, this late runner now gets a test against Paladin in Saturday’s Risen Star. The 1 1/8-mile trip looks up Golden Tempo’s alley, though the Risen Star seems to have less speed horses entered than did the Lecomte. Three of those he defeated in the Lecomte return for another try, though not stablemate and Lecomte runner-up Mesquite. Carson Street (third), Chip Honcho (fourth), and Quality Mischief (fifth) – all who finished within three lengths of Golden Tempo in the Lecomte – are back.

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9. Plutarch

This impeccably-bred colt, by Into Mischief out of the champion mare Stellar Wind, showed promise last year at a 2, but beat himself on occasion by racing greenly. Still, he picked up three stakes placings as a maiden, including a close third in the 2025 American Pharoah Stakes Presented by DK Horse. After graduating from the maiden ranks last fall, he took another step forward Feb. 7 in taking the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. Hustled to press Intrepido after a somewhat tardy break, he won as clearly best while appearing to coast a bit once striking the front in the stretch.

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10. Renegade

A fine second in the Remsen Stakes last December in light of a wide trip and an early backstretch move, he was ridden more patiently in Saturday’s Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and blew away the field through the stretch with a strong finish. He posted a 100 Equibase Speed Figure and a 92 Beyer Speed Figure – both career highs. Less enthusiastically, horses exiting the Sam F. Davis are 0-1-2 in the Derby from 31 starts, and the race itself was downgraded from a Grade 3 to listed status beginning in 2025. The race tends not to feature the cream of the 3-year-old crop.

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11. Blackout Time 

Should all go well, he will return to racing action in the March 1 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, though he still needs to work his way off the vets’ list and clear tests after being a regulatory scratch from last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar. After getting his initial training done at Fair Grounds, his next work will come this week at Oaklawn, according to co-owner Lance Gasaway. Gasaway teamed with other partners and trainer Kenny McPeek to win the 2024 Derby with Mystik Dan. Last year’s Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity runner-up, Blackout Time is McPeek’s top Derby hope this year.

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12. Canaletto

A flashy debut winner at Gulfstream Jan. 25 for trainer Chad Brown and many of the owners associated with Paladin and Plutarch, Canaletto promisingly resumed breezing Feb. 8. He obviously needs to have everything go right to make the Derby, having made just a single start at a mile and likely having just three races before the first Saturday in May. The Fountain of Youth or the March 7 ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby are being considered for his next race, Brown said.