Inside the Kentucky Derby | American Pharoah, Breeders' Futurity, Champagne Previews

Oct 02, 2026 Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein

The Road to Kentucky Derby 153 continues with a major weekend of Prep Season racing across the country.

On the latest episode of Inside the Kentucky Derby, hosts Kevin Kerstein and Darren Rogers preview a trio of important Road to the Kentucky Derby races: the American Pharoah Stakes, the Breeders’ Futurity and the Champagne Stakes. Each race gives promising 2-year-old Thoroughbreds an early opportunity to earn points toward the Kentucky Derby leaderboard and begin building a case for the First Saturday in May.

The episode takes fans inside the storylines surrounding this weekend’s Derby prep races, from emerging contenders and key connections to the stakes action unfolding at some of the sport’s most recognizable tracks. As the Prep Season begins to shape the early Kentucky Derby picture, these races offer a first look at the young horses hoping to carry their momentum toward Churchill Downs.

Along with Road to the Kentucky Derby coverage, Kevin and Darren also discuss stakes action from around the country, giving racing fans a broader look at the weekend ahead and the performances that could matter as the season builds.

Inside the Kentucky Derby is a is your home for exciting news, stories and insights from the people inside of historic Churchill Downs Racetrack. Hosts Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein provide a series of interviews with the people who work behind the scenes to make the Most Exiting Two Minutes in Sports happen. Inside the Kentucky Derby is presented by Woodford Reserve.

Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Also, make sure you subscribe to the Kentucky Derby YouTube channel to see our Road to the Kentucky Derby video series, classic races, and more great Derby video content.