Kentucky Derby Power Ranking: Zany Bursts into Oaks Contention

Dec 09, 2025 Alastair Bull/TwinSpires.com

Super Corredora wins the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar. (Photo by Horsephotos.com)

Five horses forced their way onto the Power Rankings from a notable first weekend of racing in December, including one debutante that now looks to be one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Oaks.

Zany was an odds-on favorite to win the Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct, and though the quality of her opposition was questionable, her performance definitely wasn’t.

It’s fair to say no filly has proved herself a clear leader among Oaks contenders the way Ted Noffey has done so among potential Derby horses. So Zany’s effort, in a race which has a better recent history as an Oaks indicator than the same-day Remsen (G2) has been as a Derby indicator, was good enough to put her firmly among the top Oaks prospects.

Previous maiden combatants Paladin and Renegade did enough in the Remsen to show they may have enough ability to make the Derby start at least – while previous rankings slot holder Talkin weakened his case – while in California, Consequent pushed her more highly-fancied stablemate Nimah back into third when winning the Starlet (G2). She and runner-up Cashed both did enough to earn a place on the Oaks rankings list.

Outside the Derby and Oaks Road races, there was a notable stakes victory in Tampa Bay for Solitude Dude. However, the opposition was not strong, and his pedigree (by Yaupon from an Into Mischief mare) suggests stamina doubts. Among the maidens, there were nice efforts from Schoolyardsuperman, Greenwich Village, Freddie B, and Carson Street, but they will need to show more to earn a Power Rankings spot.

The Demoiselle and the Starlet were notable for extending the amazing records in those races for the winning trainers. Zany became the 10th winner of the race for her trainer, Todd Pletcher, while Consequent became the 12th winner – and ninth in consecutive years – for Bob Baffert.

To honor those achievements, and to reflect the fact that there were two races on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks this week compared to one for the Derby, we will focus on the Oaks Power Rankings this week, and the Oaks records of the trainers of the ranking horses.

Feel free to disagree with the Power Rankings. Your next chance to bet on the Derby will be in the Pool 3 Future Wager in mid-January, while the sole Oaks future wager will be available in mid-March.

KENTUCKY OAKS POWER RANKINGS

1.        Super Corredora (1 last week, no change)

California trainer John Sadler has had a long and distinguished career, including Breeders’ Cup Classic victories with Accelerate and Flightline. But a Kentucky Oaks victory would break new ground for him, as he has yet to taste victory in either the Oaks or the Kentucky Derby.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Super Corredora

2.         Explora (2, no change)

Explora’s conditioner, Bob Baffert, is justly known for his record in the Kentucky Derby, but he’s no slouch when it comes to the Kentucky Oaks either. He’s won the fillies’ feature with Silverbulletday, Plum Pretty, and Abel Tasman.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Explora

Explora wins the Oak Leaf at Santa Anita. (Photo by Benoit Photo)

3.         Zany (new entry)

Started a 0.75-1 favorite for Saturday’s Demoiselle but won in a manner that suggested she should have been 0.1-1. Her Brisnet speed rating was better than any filly on this list has recorded, bar Mythical. Zany was impressive enough to suggest she could provide trainer Todd Pletcher with a fifth Kentucky Oaks winner and complete a Demoiselle-Oaks double Pletcher previously achieved with Malathaat and Ashado.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Zany

Zany wins the Demoiselle at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

4.         Bella Ballerina (3, -1)

Bella Ballerina’s pedigree screams Churchill Downs in May; her sire, Street Sense, won the Derby, while her dam, Pretty City Dancer, is also the dam of Pretty Mischievous, winner of the Kentucky Oaks in 2023. Like Pretty Mischievous, Bella Ballerina is trained by Brendan Walsh for Godolphin.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Bella Ballerina

Bella Ballerina wins at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)

5.         Percy’s Bar (4, -1)

From the stable of Ben Colebrook. He has prepared some nice horses since becoming a trainer in his own right in 2012, but runners in the Derby and Oaks have been rarities. The closest he came in recent years was when Raise Cain finished eighth in the 2023 Derby.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Percy's Bar

Tommy Jo, shown finishing second to Percy's Bar, was awarded the Alcibiades via disqualification (Photo by Coady Media)

6.         Tommy Jo (5, -1)

The Spinaway (G1) winner may be Pletcher’s sole juvenile Grade I-winning filly in 2025, but she’s now looking to be Pletcher’s second string among Oaks contenders behind Zany. Spinaway winners don’t have as strong a record in the Kentucky Oaks as Demoiselle winners.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Tommy Jo

Tommy Jo wins the Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga. (Photo by Coglianese Photos)

7.         Meaning (6, -1)

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) fourth-place finisher Meaning is from the stable of Californian trainer Michael McCarthy. He has won the Preakness twice, with Rombauer and Journalism, but has yet to taste success in the Kentucky Oaks; his best effort to date came with Speech, promoted to third in 2020.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Meaning

8.         Atropa (7, -1)

Fast-finishing Golden Rod (G2) second-place finisher Atropa comes from the yard of Cherie DeVaux, trainer of 2024 Breeders’ Cup  Mile winner More Than Looks. Her only Kentucky Oaks starter to date was Bayerness, seventh to Shedaresthedevil in 2020.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Atropa

Atropa wins at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)

9.         Bottle of Rouge (8, -1)

Another potential candidate to give Bob Baffert a fourth Kentucky Oaks. She has some stamina in her pedigree, and she will be followed with interest.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Bottle of Rouge

Bottle of Rouge wins the Del Mar Debutante at Del Mar. (Photo by Horsephotos.com)

10.   Consequent (new entry)

Consequent showed grit and stamina to run down Cashed and stablemate Nimah to give Baffert his 12th victory in the Starlet Dec. 6, and his ninth in succession. But she’ll have to break something of a hoodoo for Baffert if she is to win the Kentucky Oaks, as none of his previous eight Starlet victors since the race moved to Los Alamitos in 2014 won a Grade 1 race as a three-year-old.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Consequent

Consequent gave Bob Baffert a ninth straight victory, and 12th overall, in the Starlet (G2) (Photo by Benoit Photo)

11.   Just Singing (9, -2)

Just Singing is trained by Kent Sweezey, who has been out on his own since 2017 after stints with Jimmy Jerkens and Christophe Clement. He has had one graded stakes winner, the gelding Phat Man, in his career to date, and no Kentucky Oaks starters.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Just Singing

12.   Mythical (10, -2)

Speedy Florida-bred filly Mythical is prepared by Jorge Delgado, who has been training since 2017. He’s no slouch with fillies, having conditioned Power Squeeze to win the Alabama (G1) after finishing sixth to Thorpedo Anna in the 2023 Kentucky Oaks. His uncle Gustavo won the Kentucky Derby the same year with Mage.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Mythical

Mythical wins the Florida Sire Stakes My Dear Girl. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

13.   La Wally (11, -2)

California trainer Mark Glatt is the man who prepared the third-place finisher in the Del Mar Debutante (G1), La Wally. He’s been training since the 1990s but is enjoying career-best success, winning his first Del Mar trainers title last year. He is best known for training sprinters such as Dr. Schivel and Dr. Venkman and the hardy geldings Sharp Samurai and Blackjackcat, but the Kentucky Oaks would break new ground for him.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: La Wally

LA Wally works in preparation for the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, CA 10.25.2025

14.   Cashed (new entry)

It’s not often a horse that raced at Wyoming Downs gets on a Kentucky Oaks rankings list, but Cashed earned her place after yielding only very late in the Starlet. Cashed was second on debut for trainer Chris Mitchell in a Wyoming Downs maiden July 13 before transferring to Doug O’Neill, for whom she’s won once and been in the top three a further four times. O’Neill has won the Kentucky Derby twice but not the Oaks, though he did come close with runner-up Land Over Sea in 2016.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Cashed

Largest Gains: Zany (new entry at number 3)

Largest Fall: Just Singing, Mythical, La Wally (all down 2)

New to Oaks Power Rankings this week: Zany (3), Consequent (10), Cashed (14)

Removed from Oaks Power Rankings this week: On Time Girl (12th last week), Life of Joy (13th last week), Dottie Hinson (14th last week)

KENTUCKY DERBY POWER RANKINGS

1.         Ted Noffey (1, no change).

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 7-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Ted Noffey

2.         Mr. A. P. (2, no change)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 29-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Mr. A. P. 

3.         Brant (3, no change)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 25-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Brant

4.         Napoleon Solo (4, +1)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 21-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Napoleon Solo

5.         Blackout Time (5, -1)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 34-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Blackout Time

6.         Litmus Test (6, no change)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 69-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Litmus Test

7.         Further Ado (7, +3)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 13-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Further Ado

8.         Incredibolt (8, +4)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 28-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Incredibolt

9.         Boyd (9,)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 22-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Boyd

10.   Paladin (new entry)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 22-1

Pool 2 Future Wager betting suggested Paladin should run well in the Remsen, and he delivered, staying the 1 1/8 miles strongly to defeat Renegade, the horse he beat via disqualification in their maiden clash. By Gun Runner out of a Tapit mare, a pedigree that strongly suggests Derby stamina.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Paladin

11.   Desert Gate (10, -1)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 68-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Desert Gate

12.   Englishman (12, no change)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 30-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Englishman

13.   Universe (13, no change)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 32-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Universe

14.   Intrepido (14, no change)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 74-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Intrepido

15.   Satono Voyage (15, no change)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 2-1 (all other horses option)

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Satono Voyage

16.   Renegade (new entry)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 63-1

Showed it was no fluke that he was so close to Paladin in their maiden clash with another solid effort. Trainer Todd Pletcher is reported as saying Renegade missed a breeze leading into the race, so he may well improve further. By Into Mischief out of a Curlin mare, so he has a good chance of staying 1 1/4 miles.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Renegade

17.   Soldier N Diplomat (16, -1)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 84-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Soldier N Diplomat

18.   Buetane (17,  -1)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 101-1

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Buetane

19.   Cannoneer (18, -1)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 2-1(all other horses option)

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Cannoneer

20.   Talkin (11, -9)

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Closing Odds: 63-1

Very disappointing in the Remsen, finishing more than 18 lengths behind Paladin in ninth. Given that he stayed a mile well when second in the Champagne (G1), his Remsen run suggested it was an off-day as much as a stamina deficiency, as he was fading well before the mile mark. Needs to do better next time out to maintain his Derby pretensions.

TwinSpires Horse Profile: Talkin

Largest Gains: Paladin (new entry at 10)

Largest Fall: Talkin (down 9).

New to Derby Power Rankings this week: Paladin (10), Renegade (16).

Removed from Derby Power Rankings this week: Strategic Risk (19th last week), Liberty National (=20th last week), Stop the Car (=20th last week).

Previous Kentucky Derby & Kentucky Oaks Power Rankings

• Week 9 — Dec. 2, 2025
• Week 8 — Nov. 24, 2025
• Week 7 — Nov. 18, 2025
• Week 6 — Nov. 10, 2025
• Week 5 — Nov. 3, 2025
• Week 4 — Oct. 27, 2025
• Week 3 — Oct. 21, 2025
• Week 2 — Oct. 14, 2025
• Week 1 — Oct. 7, 2025