Expert picks

A smart and well-matched cast of 11 three-year-olds will run 1 1/16 miles on the dirt at Fair Grounds in Saturday’s $250,000 Lecomte (G3).

From now until mid-April, there is a race where points are available on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, so we will have Derby-relevant horses running for the next 13 weeks.

Fair Grounds hosts "Road to Derby Day" on Saturday with scoring races toward both the Kentucky Derby and Oaks.

The second of four 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers taking place at Fair Grounds is Saturday’s $250,000 Lecomte (G3).

Explora rallied and won as she pleased in the $98,000 Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Postponed one week by a deluge of rain in Southern California, the $100,000 Santa Ynez S. is now on tap for this Saturday at Santa Anita.

Although it’s not an official Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier, Saturday’s $200,000 San Vicente (G2) at Santa Anita is nevertheless an important stop on the path to the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1).

So, if anything, the picture is a little murkier this week. However, we do see some notable changes among Derby contenders.

John Oxley’s homebred Strategic Risk swept to the front in early stretch and drove clear late en route to posting a convincing, 4 1/2-length tally in the $250,000 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park on Jan. 3.

Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables’ My World earned 10 points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series following his two-length score in the $139,500 Jerome S. at Aqueduct on Jan. 3.