Horse Profile

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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.

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.

Steve Haahr’s Express Kid picked up 10 points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby following his impressive, 6 1/4-length romp in the Springboard Mile S. at Remington Park.

Leland Ackerley Racing’s Chip Honcho picked up 10 qualifying points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby following his tally in the $100,000 Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds.

Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, SF Racing, et al’s Litmus Test accumulated 10 points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series leaderboard following his 1 1/4-length triumph in the $200,500 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on Dec. 13.

Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado accumulated 10 points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series leaderboard following his 1 3/4-length triumph in the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29.

In 1920, another distaffer challenged colts and geldings beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs: Cleopatra, a stakes-winning filly from the barn of William Robinson Coe. Derby Day 1920 was not her day to shine, but this lucky loser started a lineage...

The 1957 Kentucky Derby might be best known for Bill Shoemaker’s misjudging the finish line at Churchill Downs: his hesitation with a sixteenth of a mile to go gave Bill Hartack on Iron Liege the chance to make up enough ground to beat Shoemaker and...