Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Paladin

Dec 09, 2025

Paladin wins the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photo / Credit to Chelsea Durand)

Magnier, Tabor, Smith, Brant, Smith, and Summer Wind’s Paladin earned 10 points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series following his two-length score in the $250,000 Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct on Dec. 6. Trained by Chad Brown and piloted by Flavien Prat, the youngster negotiated 1 1/8 miles on the fast main surface in 1:50.97 en route to his initial stakes score.

Renegade, Balboa, Courting, and Grittiness rounded out the top five and were rewarded with qualifying points on a 5-3-2-1 basis, respectively.

“Everything went well,” Prat said. “I was a bit worried there'd be a lack of pace, but we were able to sit right off of the pace. When I tipped him out, he reacted the right way. He was traveling well behind horses, but as soon as I tipped him out, he got going. A good move. It is that time of the year when you start dreaming. There is still a long way to go. A lot of tests to answer, but today was a good race.'

Paladin picks up 10 #KentuckyDerby points in the G2 Remsen! 🌹

Chad Brown trains the son of Gun Runner and Flavien Prat was aboard. pic.twitter.com/1mZRLgHwjY

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) December 6, 2025

The winner was unveiled at Aqueduct on Oct. 17 in a one-mile maiden special weight contest and was elevated to first after crossing the wire a head back in second. His lifetime line now reads 2-2-0-0, $184,250.

Paladin was bred in the Bluegrass State by Summer Wind Farm and brought the gavel down at $1.9 million as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton in Saratoga. The son of Gun Runner is the first black-type winner produced from the unraced Tapit mare Secret Sigh, who is a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Mozu Ascot, as well as the stakes-winning Kareena. This is the same female line as two-time Grade 1 star and sire To Honor and Serve.

“He’s going to go down to Payson Park, our winter base, and let him get over this,” Brown stated. “It looks like he’s got a cut on one of his hind pasterns pretty good, and then he lost [a] front shoe, so I’m going to have to let him get over that and get him down there. For him to overcome all that today, I thought he showed a lot of class.”