Inside the Kentucky Derby | Closing Weekend Preview

Sep 25, 2026 Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein

Royal Lodge (G2) contender Haffner shown winning the Acomb (G3) at York (Photo by Coady Media)

The September Meet at Churchill Downs reaches its final weekend with a stakes-filled Saturday beneath the Twin Spires.

On the latest episode of Inside the Kentucky Derby, hosts Kevin Kerstein and Darren Rogers preview closing weekend of the September Meet at Churchill Downs, including Saturday’s stakes action led by the $400,000 Ack Ack Stakes (GIII). The one-mile race drew an accomplished field, including Flying Dutchmen’s Owen Almighty, KAS Stables’ multiple graded stakes winner Bishops Bay, East Avenue and Nu What’s New.

The Ack Ack Stakes is scheduled as Race 9 with a post time of 4:58 p.m. ET on Saturday’s 11-race program. First post is 12:45 p.m.

The episode also looks ahead to the next steps on the Road to Kentucky Derby 153, presented by Woodford Reserve. Saturday marks the start of the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby with a pair of one-mile turf races for 2-year-olds: the Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge (Group 2) at Newmarket and the Churchill Tyres Beresford Stakes (G2) at Curragh. Each race will award points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale.

As closing weekend brings the September Meet to a close, the conversation keeps fans connected to the racing action at historic Churchill Downs and the early storylines beginning to form on the road to the 153rd Kentucky Derby.

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.