Study Guide: 2026 Blue Grass Stakes

Apr 01, 2026 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Great White holds off Fulleffort in the John Battaglia Memorial (Photo by Coady Media)

Nine horses, including six Road to the Kentucky Derby alumni, will race 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland in Saturday’s $1.25 million Blue Grass (G1).

The Blue Grass awards Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis, guaranteeing the winner (and likely the runner-up) a spot in the Derby starting gate.

Let’s meet the 2026 Blue Grass field:

Talkin

Talkin wins on debut at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photos)

Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Pine Racing Stables, Legendary Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding, and R. A. Hill Stable
Breeder: Fifth Avenue Bloodstock
Trainer: Danny Gargan
Jockey: Joel Rosario

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning a maiden special weight at Saratoga.
Total Earnings: $166,750

Sire: Good Magic
Dam: Rote
Color: Bay

Talkin showed talent on the Road to the Kentucky Derby last year, finishing second in the Champagne (G1). But he’s disappointed in his last two starts, most recently running fifth in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). He’ll need a rebound to win the Blue Grass.

Class President

Class President (inside) fights back to nip Silent Tactic in the Rebel (G2) (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: WinStar Farm, First Go Racing, and CHC
Breeder: WinStar Farm
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez

Top Speed Rating: (93) when winning the Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $593,700

Sire: Uncle Mo
Dam: Top Quality
Color: Bay

Class President joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a tenacious triumph in the Rebel (G2), prevailing by a nose over Southwest (G3) winner Silent Tactic. He’s progressing in the right direction for two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher and has a strong chance to record a top-three finish in the Blue Grass. Update: Class President has scratched from the Blue Grass.

What a horse race! 👀

In a battle to the wire, a determined CLASS PRESIDENT repelled SILENT TACTIC to earn 50 Kentucky Derby points in the G2 Rebel and put himself on the leaderboard! 🌹

Todd Pletcher trains the son of Uncle Mo and @ljlmvel was aboard.

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/eyMJK4w0f3

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 1, 2026

Great White

Great White holds off Fulleffort in the John Battaglia Memorial (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Three Chimneys Farm and John Ennis
Breeder: Stud TNT
Trainer: John Ennis
Jockey: Alex Achard

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning the John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park.
Total Earnings: $165,932

Sire: Volatile
Dam: Kelly Bag
Color: Gray/roan

Great White has run well over the synthetic Tapeta track at Turfway Park, most notably winning the John Battaglia Memorial by a neck over next-out Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Fulleffort. But he’s never raced over a dirt track like the one at Keeneland, so switching surfaces is an obstacle to overcome.

Reagan’s Honor

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds, David Ingordo, and Gabriel Duignan
Breeder: David Ingordo and Jerome S. Moss
Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Top Speed Rating: (96) when winning an allowance at Fair Grounds.
Total Earnings: $72,300

Sire: Honor A. P.
Dam: Rutile
Color: Dark bay/brown

Reagan’s Honor impressed in a 1 1/16-mile allowance at Fair Grounds last time out. He led all the way to defeat older horses by 6 3/4 lengths, earning a strong 96 Brisnet Speed rating. Reagan’s Honor has lots of early speed and may prove tough to catch down the Blue Grass homestretch. He’s a serious win contender.

Creole Chrome

Creole Chrome wins at Fair Grounds. (Photo by Hodges Photography)

Start(s): 4
Wins: 3
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Three Diamonds Farm
Breeder: Gulf Haven Farms
Trainer: Joe Sharp
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Top Speed Rating: (91) when winning the Louisiana Stallion of the Year Star Guitar S. at Fair Grounds.
Total Earnings: $139,150

Sire: Volatile
Dam: Funny Moon
Color: Chestnut

Creole Chrome has competed with aplomb in races restricted to horses bred in Louisiana. Last time out, he led all the way to win the Louisiana Stallion of the Year Star Guitar S. by 6 3/4 lengths. However, he benefited from setting a slow pace in that race, and the Blue Grass is a much tougher contest. Keeping up with Reagan’s Honor during the early stages could be tricky.

Further Ado

Further Ado wins the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 1

Owner: Spendthrift Farm
Breeder: John C. Oxley
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (98) when winning a Keeneland maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $390,703

Sire: Gun Runner
Dam: Sky Dreamer
Color: Chestnut

Further Ado has run well in two starts on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Last fall, he won the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2). Last month, he finished second in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), beaten only three-quarters of a length by next-out Florida Derby (G1) runner-up The Puma. If Further Ado improves at all in his second start of 2026, he’ll be a dangerous win contender under five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

Ocelli

Start(s): 5
Wins: 0
Place: 1
Show: 2

Owner: Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate, and Front Page Equestrian
Breeder: Rosedown Racing Stables
Trainer: D. Whitworth Beckman
Jockey: Joseph Ramos

Top Speed Rating: (92) when finishing sixth in the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs.
Total Earnings: $34,800

Sire: Connect
Dam: Zalia
Color: Bay

Ocelli is expected to scratch and compete in Saturday’s Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct instead.

Moonstrocity

Start(s): 2
Wins: 0
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Blue Rose Farm
Breeder: Capital Bloodstock
Trainer: Jena Antonucci
Jockey: Jose Morelos

Top Speed Rating: (79) when finishing third in a maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park.
Total Earnings: $7,480

Sire: Tiz the Law
Dam: Ana Luna
Color: Bay

Moonstrocity has finished eighth and third in his first two starts. His third-place finish came in a one-mile maiden special weight. He’s progressing in the right direction, but his career-best 79 Brisnet Speed rating looks light against the Blue Grass field.

Ottinho

Ottinho wins at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photos)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 3

Owner: Three Chimneys Farm
Breeder: Three Chimneys Farm
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Flavien Prat

Top Speed Rating: (87) when winning an Aqueduct maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $80,950

Sire: Quality Road
Dam: Quiet Giant
Color: Bay

Ottinho exits with a third-place finish in the Withers S. on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. He closed some ground over a track that played in favor of frontrunning winner Talk to Me Jimmy, so his performance was respectable. However, he was beaten 11 1/2 lengths, and he must improve upon his career-best 87 Brisnet Speed rating to challenge tougher foes in the Blue Grass.