Ten to follow on the Road to the 2027 Kentucky Derby

Sep 09, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

U. S. S. Valor broke his maiden in spectacular fashion at Saratoga

U. S. S. Valor broke his maiden in spectacular fashion at Saratoga (Photo by Chris Rahayel/Coglianese Photos)

As we look forward to the grand opening of the Road to the Kentucky Derby, Saturday’s Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, it’s time to highlight promising youngsters who could develop into serious contenders on the trail.

“Develop” is the operative word: summertime in the two-year-old season is a very early stage in a Thoroughbred’s life. As horses grow and mature over time, they can improve far beyond what might have been visible in their baby days. Conversely, some youngsters peak earlier, and their comparative advantage ebbs away when the late-developing types catch up and ultimately surpass them.

That’s why the Road to the Derby offers such intriguing twists and turns. Horses who catch the eye today may be overtaken by horses we haven’t even seen yet, either later this fall, or as the trail heats up next spring. Remember that this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) winner, Golden Tempo, didn’t race until late December 2025!

With that context in mind, here are 10 juveniles who could continue to progress as the calendar turns to 2027 and the prep race distances increase. Note that the other names in bold are worth watching as well, and easily could have been on the list themselves.

We’ll go by location rather than trying to assign premature rankings, beginning with Saratoga, heading across the country to Del Mar, and ending with Ellis Park graduates who will square off in the Iroquois.

Saratoga prospects

U. S. S. Valor – Sensational maiden win

Owner/breeder: Team Valor International
Trainer: Shug McGaughey
Pedigree: War of Will-Spangled Banner, by Tiz Wonderful

After a troubled but close, eye-catching third to Gaudreau and Coach Pope on debut, U. S. S. Valor moved forward spectacularly second time out at Saratoga. The son of 2019 Preakness (G1) winner War of Will crushed a seven-furlong maiden by 13 1/4 lengths.

More significant than the margin was his final time of 1:22.04, worth a gaudy 105 Brisnet Speed rating. U. S. S. Valor ran almost a full second faster than well-regarded Pharocity (1:23.02) in another maiden later on the same Sept. 5 card (see below).

By comparison, Saratoga’s marquee juvenile race, the Sept. 6 Hopeful (G1), did not come out as well on the clock. Hopeful winner The Good Life recorded a 96 Speed figure after covering seven furlongs in 1:24.08. While The Good Life has every chance of making noise on the Derby trail, he may end up being more effective around one turn than over classic distances.

Interestingly, Hopeful runner-up Mystrix was initially entered in U. S. S. Valor’s maiden race. But trainer Danny Gargan scratched him, preferring his chances in the Grade 1 to his chances against U. S. S. Valor!

Pharocity – Dominant on the front end

Owner/breeders: Scott Dilworth, Evan Dilworth, and Randy Andrews
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Yearling sale: $275,000 RNA (not sold) Keeneland September
Pedigree: American Pharoah-O Seraphina, by Congrats

Although not quite as fast as U. S. S. Valor, Pharocity dominated his opposition in his very first try. The son of 2015 Triple Crown champion American Pharoah increased his margin at every call, notching a 100 Brisnet Late Pace rating, in a 5 3/4-length rout. His 97 Speed figure, reflecting his overall time, was likewise better than The Good Life’s Hopeful.

Runner-up Mischief Time has plenty of upside himself. Watch him, blaze-faced and covered in dirt, stay on in the stretch and draw nearer on the gallop-out.

American History – Powerful closing move

Owners: WinStar Farm, First Go Racing, and CHC Inc.
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Yearling sale: $825,000 Keeneland September
Pedigree: Constitution-Bloody Point, by War Front

Judging by his 9.61-1 odds in his Saratoga debut, American History might have been expected to come on from this race and show more next time. But he was well prepared to tackle the 6 1/2-furlong assignment after all, displaying an effective running style. American History uncorked a powerful move from just off the pace and kept pouring it on late in a 7 3/4-length victory. His closing kick netted a 96 Late Pace rating, a strong number for a first-time starter.

Q B Rocket – Baffert-bred with speed to spare

Owners: Spendthrift Farm and Frank Fletcher Racing Operations
Yearling sale: $1.9 million Keeneland September
Trainer: Brad Cox
Pedigree: Gun Runner-Ginja, by Quality Road

Bred in partnership by six-time Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, Q B Rocket lived up to his name with a front-running debut score at Saratoga. The 1.26-1 favorite quickened stylishly at the top of the stretch and held sway over another smart prospect, Card Man.

This was just a six-furlong sprint, but Q B Rocket won in the manner of a colt who can carry his speed farther. His sire, Hall of Famer Gun Runner, gets progeny who improve with age, as he himself did.

Del Mar juveniles

Hughes – Undefeated Del Mar Futurity star

Owners: Front Row Club, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables et al.
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Yearling sale: $675,000 Keeneland September
Pedigree: Into Mischief-K P Dreamin, by Union Rags

Precocious enough to win all three starts over the summer, Hughes nevertheless has the profile of a colt with the scope to go on. He’s flashed high speed in early duels in both the Best Pal (G3) and Del Mar Futurity (G1), along with the stamina to kick clear with complete authority. Hughes has posted back-to-back 100 Brisnet Speed figures at Del Mar, but in the seven-furlong Futurity, his Late Pace rating increased to a potent 104. That bodes well for his capacity to stretch out.

Imperial Honor – Stereotype-defying debut

Owners: Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Two-year-old sale: $725,000 OBS April
Pedigree: Honor A. P.-Seeking Mo Jewel, by Nyquist

On pedigree, Imperial Honor wasn’t the type to win first time out sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs, let alone in wire-to-wire fashion. Yet that’s exactly what he did at Del Mar on Labor Day, shrugging off his early pace attendant and rolling by 5 1/4 lengths. Imperial Honor has every right to become a two-turn threat on the Derby trail. Note that his mother is a half-sister to Deterministic, a multiple Grade 1 turf star who runs in Saturday’s Woodbine Mile (G1).

Inshallah – Flightline sales-topper

Owner: KAS Stables
Trainer: John Sadler
Two-year-old sale: $2.1 million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May
Pedigree: Flightline-Bar of Gold, by Medaglia d’Oro

From the first crop of unbeaten superstar Flightline, the 2022 Horse of the Year and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner, the flame-colored chestnut sold for the top price of $2.1 million at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic’s two-year-olds in training sale. He was given the lofty name Inshallah – Arabic for “God willing” – and early indications are that he’s worthy of it.

Trained like his sire by John Sadler, Inshallah blazed to a debut victory sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar. The 7-10 favorite scampered clear through torrid fractions and coasted late.

Inshallah will have to ration that warp speed as he steps up in distance, but his pedigree is encouraging. Although his mother, Bar of Gold, scored her signature win in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), she wasn’t purely a sprinter.

Iroquois contenders

Salahudin – Unbeaten Ellis Park Juvenile hero

Owner: Zedan Racing Stables
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Yearling sale: $325,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October
Pedigree: Uncle Mo-Weekend Strike, by Smart Strike

Despite appearing to be a natural router with a strapping physique, Salahudin has won both of his starts in sprints. The well-bred colt from the family of Hall of Famer A.P. Indy took a substantial step forward from his debut to win the Ellis Park Juvenile decisively.

Salahudin ranks as the 8-5 favorite on the morning line for the Iroquois, but the one-turn mile is still likely short of his ideal trip. Whatever he does on Saturday, he has the look of one to follow over the long term.

Antivenom – Acceleration on the spot

Owner: D.J. Stable
Trainer: Mark Casse
Yearling sale: $850,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October
Pedigree: Candy Ride-Unrivaled Princess, by Tapit

If Antivenom’s debut win wasn’t particularly fast overall, he turned on the afterburners once asked and powered away easily at Ellis Park. That kind of rapid acceleration can be the hallmark of a smart performer, especially with his bloodlines geared to improve with distance and maturity.  His mother is a full sister to two-time champion Unique Bella, and his grandma is 2010 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Unrivaled Belle.

Caribbean Life – Withstood the pressure

Owner/breeder: CHC Inc.
Trainer: Will Walden
Pedigree: Life Is Good-Caribbean Babe, by Arch

Hopeful winner The Good Life is the biggest winner so far for hot freshman sire Life Is Good, but Caribbean Life arguably has a stronger case to handle longer distances. In his Ellis Park premiere, Caribbean Life withstood early pressure through fast fractions and maintained his momentum well going seven furlongs.

Bonus: Two more in regrouping mode

Saratoga Special (G2) romper Twinkle Town would have been a prime player in the Hopeful, but he was forced to miss the race with a setback. Hopefully we’ll see him on the trail soon for trainer Ken McPeek.

Ala Sawab, a stablemate of Inshallah’s also by Flightline, was expected to deliver a similarly show-stopping performance on his Del Mar debut. Unfortunately, Ala Sawab stumbled badly at the start and unseated his rider. He ran the entire race beautifully on his own, which doesn’t count because he wasn’t carrying the weight. Baffert’s Emancipate was the official winner. It turned out that Ala Sawab sustained a foot injury when stumbling out of the gate, and he’ll need time to recover.

To keep up with these promising two-year-olds, and any others you want to watch, add them to your Stable Alerts on TwinSpires.com.

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