LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — The first Saturday in May is right around the bend, and fans are preparing to dress their best and place their bets on which Thoroughbred will head to the winner’s circle.
How do horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby?
Organizers for the most exciting two minutes in sports wrote that 20 Thoroughbreds from three different paths begin preparations in September, which run through the Championship Series in mid-April.
Thoroughbreds from the American Road, the Japan Road, and the European or Middle East Road earn points for finishing among the top five. The horses with the highest scores in the American Road and the victors of the Japan and European Roads earn a spot at the starting gate of Churchill Downs.
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Confirmed 2026 Kentucky Derby qualifiers
- Commandment: Brad Cox’s Commandment boasts 150 points on the road to the Derby. His last victory was on March 28 at Florida’s Gulfstream Park.
- Further Ado: Fresh off his April 6 victory at Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, Further Ado boasts 5-1 odds under trainer Brad Cox. He stands second in points with 135.
- Renegade: Trained by Todd Pletcher, Renegade is one of the top five favorites at 9-2 odds, earning 125 points with a rallying win in the Arkansas Derby.
- So Happy: As his name suggests, So Happy won the Santa Anita Derby on April 4. He stands with a score of 115 points and is running for trainer Mark Glatt in the Kentucky Derby at 15-1 odds.
- Full Effort: Yet another Kentucky Derby contender trained by Brad Cox, Full Effort has 110 points.
- The Puma: Owned by Gustavo Delgado, The Puma is the first contender in the lineup at 10-1 odds.
- Silent Tactic: A “strong challenger” under consistent training by Mark Casse, Silent Tactic earned 100 points by finishing second in the Arkansas Derby.
- Emerging Market: The TwinSpires Louisiana Derby winner is trained by Chad Brown.
- Albus: A trainee of Riley Mott, Albus won the Woods Memorial on April 4 at Aqueduct, earning 100 points.
- Potente: A Bob Baffert trainee, Potente was the runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby and finished with 100 points, earning 15-1 odds.
- Pavlovian: Trainer Doug O’Neil led Pavlovian to place second in the Louisiana Derby, earning 70 points. He sits at 40-1 odds.
- Right to Party: Trained by the notorious Kenny McPeek, who took home the roses in 2024 with Mystik Dan, Right to Party qualified with 65 points and sits currently at 50-1 odds.
- Incredibolt: Riley Mott’s thoroughbred took home the victory on March 14, netting 60 points at the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs. His odds are 25-1.
- Golden Tempo: After coming in third place in the Louisiana Derby in late March, earning 60 points. Golden Tempo is headed to the Run for the Roses at 30-1 odds.
- Ottinho: The lowest-odds horse for trainer Chad Brown competing in the 152nd Kentucky Derby, Ottinho scored second place at Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, earning 56 points.
- Stark Contrast: Michael McCarthy trained Stark Contrast, who placed second in the Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 21 at Turfway and qualified with 50 points.
- Wonder Dean: On March 28, Wonder Dean won the European and Middle East road’s UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse. He’s a trainee of Daisuke Takayanagi. The horse heads west to Kentucky with 25-1 odds.
- Six Speed: Trained by Bhupat Seemar, Six Speed placed second in the UAW Derby at Meydan. Six Speed sits at 40-1 odds.
- Danon Bourbon: The Japan Road qualifier, Danon Bourbon, is a trainee of Manabu Ikezoe, earning his berth overseas. He’ll be headed to the Bluegrass at 50-1 odds.
To learn more about the Kentucky Derby qualifiers, find tickets, and learn about other experiences across Louisville leading up to the Run for the Roses, visit kentuckyderby.com…