Three qualifying events for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, sponsored by Woodford Reserve, occurring across two nations, were anticipated to significantly alter the Rookie Rankings for Week 4. However, their actual influence proved less substantial than forecast.
The pair of domestic qualification races produced interesting outcomes, yet the victorious contenders lacked sufficient prowess to enter the Top 10.
At Fair Grounds, Chip Honcho secured a hard-fought victory in the 1 1/16-mile Gun Runner Stakes, thereby entering the Kentucky Derby qualification path. Initially, after maintaining second position, he seemed to falter at the start of the final straight. Nevertheless, his competitors also showed signs of exhaustion, and as the extended homestretch progressed, Chip Honcho progressively regained momentum to clinch the win by three-quarters of a length.
While Chip Honcho’s resilience is commendable, his victory time of 1:44.76 was somewhat sluggish. He is developing favorably, but requires further advancement to be included in the Rookie Rankings.
Concurrently, Express Kid caused an upset at 34.50-1 odds in the Remington Springboard Mile Stakes at Remington Park. Following an allowance victory on Remington’s grass track, Express Kid surpassed predictions when transitioning to dirt, surging ahead with sectionals of :23.54, :47.58, and 1:12.83, then extending his lead in the final stretch to triumph by 6 ¼ lengths.
Express Kid’s time of 1:38.99 for the win compared favorably with other single-mile events on the program. He almost qualified for our Top 10, but since multiple favored contenders in the Springboard Mile did not perform optimally, the quality of opposition Express Kid overcame remains questionable.
Consequently, the only fresh entrant in this week’s Rookie Rankings is Pyromancer, who triumphed in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, part of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Donning Godolphin’s renowned royal blue colors, Pyromancer largely shadowed the leading horses in second position before seizing control and repelling several attempts to overtake him, ultimately winning by a neck and finishing 1,600 meters (approximately one mile) in 1:44.20.
Previous runnings of the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun saw victories by Forever Young and Derma Sotogake, both colts who subsequently participated in the Kentucky Derby. Pyromancer intends to emulate their path, with Godolphin’s racing manager for Japan indicating on their official site that the United Arab Emirates Derby in Dubai on March 28 is the next primary objective for the Pyro offspring. Success in that race would nearly guarantee Pyromancer a place among the Kentucky Derby starters.
Pyromancer makes his initial appearance at the #10 position in the Rookie Rankings. He takes the place of Mr. A. P., who was formerly ranked #5. Brad Free from the Daily Racing Form reported that Mr. A. P. is on a break to recover from a minor training issue and will therefore be absent from the Kentucky Derby.
Below is the configuration of the most recent Rookie Rankings:
1. Ted Noffey: Should Ted Noffey emerge victorious in the Kentucky Derby, he would be the third equine to achieve the rare Breeders’ Cup Juvenile/Kentucky Derby double, a feat previously accomplished by Street Sense (2006-07) and Nyquist (2015-16).
Owner: Spendthrift Farm
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Last Race: 1st, FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA, Oct. 31 at Del Mar
2. Paladin: Acquired for $1.9 million as a yearling, Paladin endeavors to be merely the second auction purchase valued over a million dollars to triumph in the Kentucky Derby, after Fusaichi Pegasus ($4 million) in 2000.
Owners: Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant, Brook Smith, and Summer Wind Equine
Trainer: Chad Brown
Last Race: 1st, Remsen Stakes, Dec. 6 at Aqueduct
3. Further Ado: The strength of Further Ado’s victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes was somewhat diminished after Very Connected, who placed fourth in that race, finished fifth in a leisurely running of the Gun Runner.
Owner: Spendthrift Farm
Trainer: Brad Cox
Last Race: 1st, Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs
4. Satono Voyage: Hiroyasu Tanaka, the conditioner for Satono Voyage, stands as a prominent trainer of dirt competitors in Japan. He has achieved considerable success with Lemon Pop, a three-time Group 1 champion and two-time national titleholder.
Owner: Hajime Satomi
Trainer: Hiroyasu Tanaka
Last Race: 1st, Cattleya Stakes, Nov. 29 at Tokyo Racecourse
5. Blackout Time: Blackout Time’s second-place performance in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity gained additional prestige when Litmus Test, who finished third in the same race, subsequently won the Los Alamitos Futurity.
Owners: Brookdale Racing, Lance Gasaway, and Magdalena Racing
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Last Race: 2nd, Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, Oct. 4 at Keeneland Race Course
6. Litmus Test: Having participated in four consecutive graded stakes, three of which were Grade 1 events, Litmus Test stands as one of the most seasoned contenders on the path to the Kentucky Derby.
Owners: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Last Race: 1st, Los Alamitos Futurity, Dec. 13 at Los Alamitos Race Course
7. Napoleon Solo: Acquired for just $40,000 as a yearling, Napoleon Solo has already recuperated almost eight times his initial cost, establishing him as one of the most cost-effective prospects on the Derby circuit.
Owner: Gold Square
Trainer: Chad Summers
Last Race: 1st, Champagne Stakes, Oct. 4 at Belmont at the Big A
8. Cannoneer: Anticipate Cannoneer campaigning in the southern regions this winter, possibly in Kentucky Derby qualifying races at Oaklawn Park or Fair Grounds, venues where numerous top 3-year-olds trained by Brad Cox typically compete.
Owners: St. Elias Stable and Stonestreet Stables
Trainer: Brad Cox
Last Race: 1st, maiden special weight, Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs
9. Iron Honor: Being sired by Kentucky Derby victor Nyquist and out of a mare by champion and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Blame, Iron Honor possesses the lineage suited for the Derby’s 1 ¼-mile challenge.
Owners: St. Elias Stable, William Lawrence, and Cathi Glassman
Trainer: Chad Brown
Last Race: 1st, maiden special weight, Dec. 13 at Aqueduct
10. Pyromancer: Japan’s premier dirt thoroughbreds are demonstrating exceptional skill globally. Pyromancer seeks to emulate this success.
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Keiji Yoshimura
Last Race: 1st, Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, Dec. 17 at Kawasaki Racecourse
