Each week, members of the national media vote on the nation's top contenders on the Triple Crown trail in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll.
All-weather runners will get a highly useful prep for the March 21 Jeff Ruby Steaks and pick up some Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve qualifying points in the process through Saturday’s John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park.
Welcome to Kentucky Derby Prospect Profiles, where we take a look each week at a recent winner on the Road to the Derby schedule that offers qualifying points for the 1 ¼-mile Derby May 2, 2026, at Churchill Downs.
Reddam Racing homebred Pavlovian may have entered the $500,000 Sunland Park Derby as the most experienced runner in the field, but he still had much to learn.
Paladin showed why many consider him to be a leading contender for the May 2 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve by running down free-running leader Chip Honcho to win the $495,000 Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Risen
