There’s a new No. 1 in the final US Racing Kentucky Derby Top 10 – Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Renegade.
The deciding factor in Renegade moving ahead of Florida Derby (G1) winner Commandment comes after top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr chose to ride Renegade in the Run for the Roses on May 2.
Ortiz, a five-time Eclipse award winner seeking his first Derby victory, will team up with Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, as Renegade likely will be the Derby favorite.
With Ortiz aboard, Renegade won the Arkansas Derby by four lengths against one of the toughest Derby preps. He also rode Commandment to victory in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), Further Ado to an 11-length romp in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), and Fulleffort to victory in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3).
In those races, he competed against many other Derby contenders, so his decision to stick with Renegade carries a lot of weight.
Granted, Luis Saez, who will be aboard Commandment for the first time, is no slouch, but Ortiz is one tough jockey in big races and gives Renegade a slight edge.
Renegade’s resume is tough to beat: In his second start, he edged Paladin by a head but was disqualified to second. He finished second in the Remsen Stakes (G2) behind Paladin, who was a leading Derby contender until sidelined by injury. He then won the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, followed by a powerful stretch run and four-length win in the Arkansas Derby.
Commandment is No. 2, followed by Further Ado at No. 3. Brad Cox trains both. Further Ado will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, a three-time Derby winner.
The Road to the Kentucky Derby series of 36 races concluded Saturday with the Lexington Stakes (G3). The results – 32-1 longshot Trendsetter won -- did not affect the top 25 horses on the final Derby leaderboard.
Back in the top 10 at No. 7 after a brief absence is Chief Wallabee, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott. Although he’s No. 21 on the Derby leaderboard – the Derby is limited to 20 starters – Chief Wallabee is almost assured of getting into the field as at least three horses with more points are not yet definite.
With the Chief Wallabee in the race, it sets up a rare father versus son Derby duel as Riley Mott has two Derby contenders – No. 8 Incredibolt, winner of the Virginia Derby, and Albus, winner of the Wood Memorial (G2).
The elder Mott won his second Derby a year ago with Sovereignty, who went on to be voted Horse of the Year.
And now it’s on to our final Derby Top 10:
Ortiz sticking with Renegade over three other leading Derby contenders (Commandment, Further Ado, Fulleffort) is main reason for move to No. 1 ... Powerful stretch run and four-length win in tough Arkansas Derby field indicates he can get job done in Louisville ... Comes into Derby with two wins in five starts (would have been three if not for DQ in maiden race) ... Ortiz seeking first win in Derby ... Owners: Robert Low, Lawana Low, Repole Stable ... Pedigree: Into Mischief-Spice is Nice, by Curlin ... Purchased for $975,000 at Keeneland September Yearling Sale 2024 ... No. 3 on Derby points leaderboard (125) ... Derby future wager odds: 4-1.
Jockey change could play huge role as Saez replaces Eclipse-Award winner Prat, who rides stablemate Fulleffort ... Cox has a third Derby contender in Further Ado ... Saez will fourth different jockey to ride colt (Prat, Cristian Torres and Irad Ortiz, Jr. are the others) ... Worked 4 furlongs in 48.40 seconds at Churchill Downs on Friday (April 10) ... Gutsy effort to edge The Puma in Florida Derby among top prep races ... Four horses have pulled off Fountain of Youth, Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby triple, the last being Orb in 2013 ... Owner: Wathnan Racing ... Purchased for $500,000 at 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale ... Breeding: Into Mischief-Sippican Harbor, by Orb ... No. 1 on Derby points leaderboard (150) ... Derby future wager odds: 7-1
Unlikely Derby duo, but Cox has himself Hall of Famer in Velazquez, a three-time Derby winner getting ready for Derby No. 27 ... Blue Grass win by 11 lengths confirms he’s star quality ... Plan is for two workouts leading up to Derby ... Won maiden race by 20 lengths at Keeneland, and also has a win at Churchill Downs (Kentucky Jockey Club) ... Owner: Spendthrift Farm ...Pedigree: Gun Runner-Sky Dreamer, by Sky Mesa ... Purchased for $550,000 at Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training 2025 ... No. 2 on Derby points leaderboard (135) ... Derby future wager odds: 17-1.
Back on the track for a first breeze since narrow loss to Commandment in Florida Derby, going 4 furlongs in 52.32 Friday (April 10) at Gulfstream Park ... This weekend will be a stronger work before being shipped by van to Churchill Downs ...Tampa Bay Derby win on March 7 gave him first -- and only -- career victory in four starts ... Delgado, trainer/co-owner, Castellano and fellow co-owner Ramiro Restrepo won 2023 Derby with Mage ... Owners: OGMA Investments, JR Ranch, High Step Racing ... Pedigree: Essential Quality-Eve of War, by Declaration of War ... Purchased for $150,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale for 2-Year-Olds in Training ... No. 4 on Derby points leaderboard (106) ... Derby future wager odds: 12-1.
Santa Anita Derby winner gives Glatt his first Derby starter and Smith his record-extending 29th Derby ride ... Outdueled Baffert-trained Potente in stretch and won by 2 ¾ lengths to improve to three wins in four starts ... Stalker with high tactical speed make him a dangerous longshot ... 10 horses have completed Santa Anita Derby-Kentucky Derby double ... Owners: Norman Stables LLC, Saints or Sinners ... Purchased for $150,000 at Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale for 2-Year-Olds in Training ... No. 4 on Derby points leaderboard (115) ... Derby future wager: 93-1.
Deep closing style makes him a threat if Derby sets up right and speed slows down in stretch ... Took Oaklawn Park road to Derby with win in Southwest, and seconds in Smarty Jones, Rebel and Arkansas Derby ... Casse, a Hall of Famer, is 0-for-11 in Derby with no top 3 finishers ... Owner: John Oxley ... Pedigree: Tacitus-Magical Sign, by Gun Runner ... Purchased for $500,000 at Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training ... No. 7 on Derby points leaderboard (100). Derby future wager odds: 32-1.
With a few defections, Mott should have a decent shot at back-to-back Derby wins (he won with Sovereignty last year) ... Second in Fountain of Youth, third in Florida Derby, many seem to think he’s sitting on huge race on first Saturday in May ... Wonderful storyline has Hall of Famer Mott going against son Riley, who has two Derby contenders, Incredibolt and Albus ... Owners: Michael and Katherine Ball ... Pedigree: Constitution, A La Lucie, by Medaglia d’Oro ... Not sold through public auction ... No. 21 on Derby points leaderboard (50) ... Derby future wager odds: 13-1.
Is a seven-week layoff too long to win the Derby? It happened in 2020 when Authentic won 42 days between the Haskell and Derby (Covid-19 caused races to be rescheduled; Derby was run on Sept. 5; Haskell on July 18) ... Winner of Street Sense and Virginia Derby on road to Derby ... Mott, who also trains Derby contender Albus, has his first Derby starters ... Owner: Pin Oak Stud ... Pedigree: Bolt d’Oro- Sapphire Spitfire, by Awesome Again ... Purchased for $75,000 at 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale ... No. 13 on Derby points leaderboard (60) ... Derby future wager odds: 22-1.
Can a budding 3-year-old step up and win the Derby in its third career start? It’s happened once – in 1883 (Leonatus) -- and failed six times, including 2024 when Japan’s T O Password ran fifth ... 2-for-2, including Louisiana Derby win on March 21 ... Brown seeks first Derby win, he’ 0-for-9 with two runner-up finishes – Good Magic in 2019, Sierra Leone in 2024 ... Owner: Klaravich Stables ... Pedigree: Candy Ride-Wild Empress, by Empire Maker ... Purchased for $185,000 at 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale ... No. 8 on Derby points leaderboard (100) ... Derby future wager odds: 15-1.
Sticking with Baffert and son of top sire Into Mischief to make a Derby run, even though Jeff Ruby winner Fulleffort and Wood Memorial winner Albus are worthy of a top 10 spot ... While distance may be major issue, a San Felipe win and runner-up to So Happy in Santa Anita Derby gives Baffert a chance for record-setting seventh Derby win ... ... Owner: Speedway Stables ... Pedigree: Into Mischief-Sweet Sting, by Awesome Again ... Purchased for $2.4 million at 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale ... No. 10 on Derby points leaderboard (100). Derby future wager odds: 16-1.
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
