Study Guide: 2026 Jerome Stakes

Dec 29, 2025 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Balboa (Photo by Benoit Photo)

Every horse entered in Saturday’s $150,000 Jerome S. at Aqueduct will earn at least one Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification point. Only five horses have entered, and the one-mile race awards its 21 points on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis to the top five finishers.

The field may be small, but talent runs deep in the third of Aqueduct’s six 2025-26 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers. Let’s take a horse-by-horse tour through the entries:

Enforced Agenda

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

Owner: St. Elias Stable
Breeder: St. Elias Stables
Trainer: George Weaver
Jockey: Flavien Prat

Top Speed Rating: (81) when winning an Aqueduct maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $46,750

Sire: Liam’s Map
Dam: Heart and Hope
Color: Gray/roan

Enforced Agenda delivered a promising debut in a one-mile maiden special weight at Aqueduct, pressing the pace before taking over to win by one length. The fact that Enforced Agenda has won over the track and distance of the Jerome is appealing, and take note: he’ll be ridden by reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat. There’s a lot to like about Enforced Agenda.

Enforced Agenda upsets at 23/1 in R5 at Aqueduct, paying $48.72 to win! 💰@jjcjockey was in the saddle for trainer George Weaver. pic.twitter.com/S0gVQi2FMx

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) November 23, 2025

Freedom’s Echo

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

Owner: Nicholas Cammarano Jr.
Breeder: Brian Keith Turman and Laurel Glen Farm
Trainer: Guadalupe Preciado
Jockey: Dexter Haddock

Top Speed Rating: (85) when winning a $40,000 maiden claimer at Parx Racing.
Total Earnings: $19,610

Sire: Independence Hall
Dam: Dani Mo
Color: Bay

Freedom’s Echo was tons the best in a one-mile $40,000 maiden claimer at Parx Racing, leading all the way to dominate by 11 lengths. But the Jerome is a much tougher race, and it remains to be seen how Freedom’s Echo will handle facing fiercer competition.

My World

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

Owner: Robert V. LaPenta and Madaket Stables
Breeder: Cove Springs
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Jaime Rodriguez

Top Speed Rating: (89) on two occasions, including when winning an Aqueduct maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $135,250

Sire: Essential Quality
Dam: Quebec
Color: Gray/roan

My World is 2-for-2 at Aqueduct, most notably employing pace-pressing tactics to trounce the one-mile Nashua S. by 3 1/2 lengths. There’s a good chance he’ll keep his momentum going for hot trainer Brad Cox, who wins at a powerful 27% rate in ungraded stakes like the Jerome.

Balboa

Start(s): 6
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 2

Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan
Breeder: Albaugh Family Stables
Trainer: Brittany Russell
Jockey: Manny Franco

Top Speed Rating: (94) when finishing third in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $159,600

Sire: Not This Time
Dam: Tap of War
Color: Bay

Balboa is arguably the horse to beat in the Jerome after finishing third in Aqueduct’s 1 1/8-mile Remsen (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. He was beaten only 3 1/2 lengths after leading with three furlongs remaining. Balboa’s two wins have come in sprints, so the one-turn mile configuration of the Jerome should suit him better than racing 1 1/8 miles around two turns in the Remsen.

Paladin wins the G2 Remsen Stakes worth 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby! 🌹 pic.twitter.com/BShe1fALj8

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) December 6, 2025

Mailata

Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Cash is King and LC Racing
Breeder: Cash Is King and LC Racing Stable
Trainer: Robert Reid Jr.
Jockey: Mychel Sanchez

Top Speed Rating: (95) when winning the Pennsylvania Nursery S. at Parx Racing.
Total Earnings: $114,500

Sire: Maximus Mischief
Dam: Bouquet of Gold
Color: Bay

Mailata has early speed, which he showcased when wiring the seven-furlong Pennsylvania Nursery S. by 3 1/2 lengths. He also led gate-to-wire in a one-mile maiden special weight at Parx Racing. Mailata is the fastest of the Jerome entrants from a Brisnet Speed rating perspective, but facing a few other speed horses in his toughest race to date could be a tricky assignment.