Inside the Kentucky Derby-John Battaglia Memorial Preview

Feb 18, 2026 Darren Rogers and Kevin Kerstein

Street Beast wins the Leonatus Stakes at Turfway Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Join Kevin Kerstein and Darren Rogers on this week’s edition of Inside the Kentucky Derby as they preview a big weekend on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, including Saturday’s $175,000 John Battaglia Memorial, Friday’s Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes and Sunday’s Hyacinth Stakes in Japan. KK and Darren also recap last weekend’s Fasig-Tipton Risen Star and spotlight several major Derby contenders coming out of that key prep.

Inside the Kentucky Derby: Around the Downs 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.

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