2027 Kentucky Derby and Oaks Power Rankings

Oct 08, 2026 Alastair Bull/TwinSpires.com

Hughes wins the American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita.

Forget the NFL; look away from the midterms. The all-important first Power Rankings for the 2027 Kentucky Derby are here, and there's one burning question: are you Team Hughes or Team U. S. S. Valor?

Deciding who will fill some of the slots in the top 20, especially near the bottom of the list, seven months out from the first Saturday in May, requires calculated guesswork as we try to decide which of the more impressive maiden juvenile winners have Kentucky Derby potential.

But the top two… well, that’s fairly easy at this point. There’s really only two contenders: the Champagne (G1) winner and the American Pharoah (G1) winner.

Arguments can be made for both, and arguments may be all we can have for some time, even possibly up to the Derby, after the connections of U. S. S. Valor decided to follow in the footsteps of last year’s Champagne hero Napoleon Solo and skip the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and therefore skip a clash with Hughes.

Of course, there’s every chance neither of these horses will be high in the betting once the Derby finally does arrive. The horse that topped the first Power Rankings, Ted Noffey, still hasn’t raced since the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

As a reminder, the Power Rankings are like those you may have read for other sports. It’s a way of ranking the top contenders for an end-of-season title by opinion, rather than by number of wins, positions on the table, or something similar. For example, if you rank NFL Super Bowl contenders, a team with three wins from four games at this stage of the season might be higher on a power rankings list than some four-win teams if you think that three-win team has a greater chance of winning it all come February.

So the Kentucky Derby Power Rankings will reflect where the horse’s Derby prospects stand, based on the evidence we have to date from their races. Performances in races on the official Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule and other graded races will obviously weigh heavily, but we'll also consider impressive efforts in maiden and allowance races when assembling the list.

Feel free to disagree with the Power Rankings, which this week includes each horse’s best Brisnet Speed Rating, and to back your own judgment when the first Kentucky Derby Future Wager arrives.

Kentucky Derby Power Rankings

1.         U. S. S. Valor

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 106

U. S. S. Valor has been high on the radar of most Derby pundits since his 13-1/4 length maiden victory at Saratoga Sept. 5. His performance in the Champagne was similarly impressive; he had some traffic issues to deal with, but the power and acceleration he showed in the stretch was something to behold. Derby stamina may yet be a question, but at this stage he looks to have as good a chance of staying 1 1/4 miles as any.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: U.S.S. Valor

U. S. S. Valor wins maiden race 2026 (Photo by Coglianese Photos/NYRA)

2.         Hughes

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 108

Hughes couldn’t have done too much more than he did in the American Pharoah, winning by six lengths with a higher Brisnet Speed Rating than U. S. S. Valor, so there’s solid reason why you could argue he deserves to be number one. In addition, there is stamina on the female side of his pedigree. My biggest question is about the depth of talent among top juveniles in California, but he’s clearly high on the early contender list.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Hughes

Hughes wins the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at Del Mar. (Photo by Benoit Photo)

3.         Coach Pope

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 99

It’s debatable who the best horse was in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1). American History may have won, but he got there because the dueling Coach Pope and Q B Rocket burned each other off with three sub-24 second quarters, leaving them gassed in the last sixteenth, run in a pedestrian 7.2 seconds. Coach Pope showed in his maiden victory, in which he recorded his highest Brisnet Speed Rating, that he doesn’t have to sprint all the way, and that stamina runs in his pedigree.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Coach Pope

4.         Q B Rocket

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 95

The loser in the Breeders’ Futurity speed duel with Coach Pope, though not by much. It followed a maiden win at Saratoga over a strong field that included subsequent winners Card Man and Vukoma. He’ll need to learn to control his speed better than he did at Keeneland, but he’s by Gun Runner out of a Quality Road mare, so he has stamina potential.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Q B Rocket

5.         American History

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 93

Didn’t have the speed to stay near Coach Pope and Q B Rocket in the Breeders’ Futurity, but benefitted from their extreme speed duel to run them down on the line. From a Derby perspective, you’d like to have seen him show more speed, but from a stamina perspective it was encouraging, and Derbies have been won by horses rallying after a crazy pace.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: American History

6.         Gaudreau

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 98

Beat Coach Pope and U. S. S. Valor on debut in a very strong Saratoga maiden, and though U. S. S. Valor turned around that result decisively in the Champagne, he still ran well for second. By Nyquist out of a Congrats mare, he has potential to stay the Derby trip. If he contests the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), we’ll learn a lot more.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Gaudreau

7.         Salahudin

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 96

After two Ellis Park victories, he scored a nice rallying victory in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, beating Bashford Manor runner-up He Is No Lie despite missing the start. He’s by Nyquist out of a Smart Strike mare and his second dam is a sister to Summer Squall, so plenty suggests he’ll enjoy running further.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Salahudin

Salahudin wins the Ellis Park Juvenile (Photo by Coady Media)

8.         Net Par

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 101

The California-bred was relatively ignored in the market in the American Pharoah despite two prior victories, and though he couldn’t stick with Hughes in the stretch, he was still more than nine lengths clear of the remainder. He recorded a very high Brisnet Speed Rating in doing so, but as mentioned in the write-up about Hughes, I have my doubts about the California form. He may get his chance in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Net Par

Net Par wins the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar. (Photo by Benoit Photo)

9.         Pharocity

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 97

Overshadowed when winning his maiden by U. S. S. Valor on the same day, but still put together a very good performance to lead all the way on debut. He’s since been sidelined by injury and is out for the year, but if he returns in time to seek a Derby start, he will be an interesting one to follow. By American Pharoah, so he has the potential to stay.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Pharocity

10.   Mystik Bayou

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 92

It’s hard to ignore a half-brother to a Kentucky Derby winner when he breaks his maiden at 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park. Mystik Bayou showed he had some of Mystik Dan’s family ability by winning his maiden, enjoying the step up in trip after finishing third to U. S. S. Valor on debut. Despite the Mystik Dan link, it would be something of a fairy tale if he won the Derby; he’d be the first Oklahoma-bred to do so, and he is the sole foal of his fertility-challenged and now-pensioned sire, Louisiana Derby winner Wells Bayou.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Mystik Bayou

11.   He Is No Lie

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 95

Fought Salahudin all the way in the Iroquois. He’s well-traveled already: after winning his debut at Santa Anita, he came to Churchill Downs to run second in the Bashford Manor S., returned to California to finish fourth to Hughes in the Best Pal (G3) (recording a Brisnet Speed Rating well below his other figures) before his return east for the Iroquois (G3). From the first crop of Preakness (G1) winner Early Voting, who has also sired Del Mar Debutante (G1) winner Miss Monica.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: He Is No Lie

He Is No Lie (Photo by Benoit Photo)

12.   The Good Life

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 96

He was too good for his opponents in the Hopeful (G1) on Sept. 6. Subsequently had a minor setback but was expected to return to racing as a three-year-old. Being by Life Is Good out of a Speightstown mare, there would have to be some reservations about his chances of staying 1 1/4 miles, but there is some stamina in his female line.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: The Good Life

13.   Card Man

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 94

Second to subsequent Breeders’ Futurity placegetter Q B Rocket on debut, Card Man stepped up to a mile Sept. 18 at Belmont and outstayed his opponents clearly by five lengths. By Life Is Good out of a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Wavell Avenue, you might have some stamina queries, but his broodmare sire is the stamina-laden Arrogate, and he showed no signs of stopping at a mile in his maiden win.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Card Man

14.   Club Reign

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 95

No match for U. S. S. Valor in the Champagne but stuck on well for third, not far from Gaudreau, after a wide passage. By Ohio Derby winner Core Beliefs out of a mare by superstar broodmare sire Bernardini, so has reasonable prospects of having the requisite Derby stamina.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Club Reign

15.   Endrush

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 89

Punters who backed Endrush into favoritism for his six-furlong maiden debut at Churchill Downs probably thought they’d done their money when he was eight lengths back after a quarter-mile. But as you might expect from a son of Curlin, he got better as the race went on and was clearly best at the finish, looking as though he wants more ground. He hasn’t worked since then, but it was a highly promising start, and if he gets back to the Derby trail he could easily make his mark.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Endrush

16.   Damavand

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 87

A million-dollar yearling, Damavand ran home strongly for fourth on debut over six furlongs before enjoying 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland Oct. 4, narrowly beating Belzoni while finishing six lengths clear of the rest. The pair showed decent stamina, running their fourth quarter quicker than the second and third and not letting up in the final sixteenth. He and Belzoni look like horses to follow, though the latter was among those beaten up by U. S. S. Valor in his maiden victory.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Damavand

17.   Sum of Success

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 99

Destroyed Florida-breds in the Express Tour S. Sept. 5, handling the step up to seven furlongs with ease and recording a high Brisnet Speed Rating in the process. Hasn’t worked since that race but is clearly talented, though there are questions about whether sprinting will be his ultimate go.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Sum of Success

18.   Twinkle Town

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 92

Dominated in the Saratoga Special (G2) over six furlongs in early August, contesting the lead and then drawing clear in the stretch. Subsequently injured before the Hopeful, and hasn’t worked since late August, but initial reports were that it wasn’t expected to be serious. There is some stamina in his pedigree.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Twinkle Town

Twinkle Town wins at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

19.   Blessed Flyer

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 93

Unbeaten after running down He Is No Lie in the Bashford Manor in June at 31-1. Scratched from the Iroquois on veterinary advice; last worked on Sept. 27. By Dialed In, who has produced several horses that stayed 1 1/4 miles, including Defunded and Gunnevera.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Blessed Flyer

Blessed Flyer wins the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media / Credit to Cady Coulardot)

20.   Full Access

Highest Brisnet Speed Rating: 87

Delaware Park isn’t a place you find a lot of Derby contenders, but Full Access did beat a field that included maiden winners from Saratoga and Monmouth Park to win the Rocky Run S. at that track Oct. 3. By the Louisiana Derby winner By My Standards from a family that includes Rags To Riches, Jazil, and Kentucky Oaks winner Blush With Pride, so there’s some staying potential there.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Full Access

Full Access wins at Ellis Park. (Photo by Coady Media)