Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Pavlovian

Feb 17, 2026 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Pavlovian (gray on the outside) and Express Kid match strides to the wire in the Sunland Park Derby (Photo by Coady Media)

Reddam Racing’s homebred three-year-old colt Pavlovian earned the winners’ share of the $500,000 purse, as well as 20 qualifying points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series, following his ultra-game victory in the Sunland Derby on Feb. 15. The horse who is trained by Doug O’Neill, who has two Kentucky Derby wins to his credit, ran 1 1/16 miles on the fast dirt surface in 1:42.22 with Edwin Maldonado in the saddle.

'The sky's the limit,' O'Neill stated. 'He's got so much stamina, he's got a lot of class, and just being a homebred is extra special.'

'I think he has a lot of potential,' Maldonado said of the colt. 'I think he's just learning, he's just getting to know what he's supposed to do, and he has a big future ahead.'

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Express Kid, the 11-10 favorite, 2-1 second choice Bricklin, Daneyko, and Forty Twenty rounded out the top five across the wire. Those runners will receive qualifying points towards the Run for the Roses on a 10-6-4-2 basis, respectively.

Pavlovian picked up his first stakes win while making his ninth lifetime appearance, and his career mark now reads 9-2-3-1, $413,450. He was very busy in 2025 and recorded seven races as a two-year-old. The horse graduated with his first tally second time out in a sprint at five furlongs at Santa Anita on June 15, which was followed up with a runner-up result in the Best Pal (G3) at Del Mar in August. Prior to the win at Sunland Park, the gray horse finished a closing third in the California Cup Derby at Santa Anita on Jan. 17.

The horse is by Grade 1 winner Pavel and the first stakes runner produced from the winning Bellamy Road mare Mandy’s Grace. He is from the same female family as Grade 2 heroines Burmilla and Magicalmysterycat, as well as Grade 3 stars Ragtime and Snowbell.