A win by a neck in Florida and a win by a nose in Arkansas have shaken up the latest US Racing Kentucky Derby Top 10 Contenders in a big way.
After dramatic finishes in the $425,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park (Feb. 28) and the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park (March 1), Commandment and Class President stamped themselves as leading contenders for the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) in eight weeks.
Commandment, a highly-touted 3-year-old trained by Brad Cox, outdueled Chief Wallabee by a neck to take the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth for his third straight victory.
Class President, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, dug in late and fought off Silent Tactic to prevail by a nose in the Rebel Stakes in his third career start.
Also, Iron Honor topped Crown the Buckeye in Saturday’s $300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct to move onto the Derby trail.
All three races awarded Derby qualifying points of 50, 25, 15, 10, and 5 to the top five finishers. Translation? Commandment, Class President, and Iron Honor have clinched berths in the Derby on May 2 and soared into our Top 10 for the first time – in a huge way.
Commandment moves to the head of the class, taking over at No. 1 from Nearly, the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) winner who runs next in the Florida Derby (G1) on March 28. This gives Cox a top Derby contender to go along with Further Ado, ranked sixth this week.
Class President gives Pletcher a third top 10 Derby contender to go along with Nearly, who drops to No. 2, and Renegade at No. 9.
Guided by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., Commandment cut the corner heading into the stretch for the lead and fought off Chief Wallabee in his 3-year-old debut.
Cox was impressed with the extra energy Commandment showed as he raced past the wire for another sixteenth of a mile.
“I think it was important that Irad asked him to run to the second wire there for the experience moving forward,’’ Cox said. “If we pursue the Florida Derby, it makes sense to continue on to the second wire.”
Class President, ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, held a slim lead over Silent Tactic inside the final furlong, then the two dueled head-to-head to the wire with Class President prevailing in a photo finish.
“Very excited about his effort,’’ Pletcher said. “We’ve been looking forward to getting him around two turns.”
Silent Tactic was impressive in defeat for trainer Mark Casse and dropped only two spots to No. 5.
With a new-look top 10, that means a bunch of contenders dropped out this week: Litmus Test (third in the Rebel), Napoleon Solo (runs next in Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Plutarch (off Derby trail with body soreness).
On the bubble this week: Chief Wallabee and Crown the Buckeye, runners-up in the Fountain of Youth and Gotham, respectively.
This weekend gives us two more Derby preps: the Tampa Bay Derby and the San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.
Litmus Test and Plutarch are both trained by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. While both are no longer in the top 10, the six-time Derby winner has two prospects for the San Felipe – Brant and Potente.
Won Fountain of Youth with gutsy effort for third straight win, including Mucho Macho Man in 3-year-old debut ... Impressive enough to soar into the role as leading Derby ... Last year’s Fountain of Youth winner, Sovereignty, went on to win Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes and was voted Horse of the Year ... Owner: Wathnan Racing ... Purchased for $500,000 at 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale ... Breeding: Into Mischief-Sippican Harbor, by Orb... Next start: Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park, March 28/Blue Grass Stakes, Keeneland, April 4 ... No. 4 on Derby points leaderboard (50). Derby future wager odds (pool 4): 23-1
Worked 4 furlongs in leisurely 50.17 seconds at Palm Beach Downs on Feb. 27, his third work since winning Holy Bull on Jan. 31 ... Remains one top contenders, but will have to prove himself in next prep race ... Owner: Donald Little’s Centennial Farm ... Purchased for $350,000 at 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale ... Breeding: Not This Time-IB Prospecting, by Mineshaft) ... Next start: Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park, March 28 ... No. 15 on Derby points leaderboard (20). Derby future wager odds (pool 4): 10-1
Worked 4 furlongs in 49.80 seconds at Payson Park on Feb. 27, his first work since winning Risen Star on Feb. 14 ... Already clinched a spot in Derby field with 60 qualifying points ... Gaffalione was aboard in Risen Star for first time, and seems likely to retain mount ... Owners: Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant, Brook Smith, Summer Wind Equine ... Pedigree: Gun Runner-Secret Sigh, by Tapit ... Purchased for $1.9 million at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale 2024 ... Next start: Blue Grass Stakes, Keeneland, April 4 ... No. 1 on Derby points leaderboard (60). Derby future wager odds: 9-1
Rebel win just as gutsy at Commandment’s in Fountain of Youth, and against tougher competition ... Success in first two-turn race in third career start puts him up here with top Derby contenders with a Hall of Fame team ... Ran second to Solitude Dude in Swale Stakes on Jan. 31 ... Owners: WinStar Farm, First Go Racing., CHC (China Horse Club) ... Pedigree: Uncle Mo-Top Quality, by Quality Road ... Next start: TBD ... No. 3 on Derby points leaderboard (50) ... Derby future wager odds: 75-1
Gallant in defeat, beaten a nose by Class President in Rebel after closing with a rush to win Southwest Stakes on Feb. 6 ... 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 2025 ... Next start: Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park, April March 28 ... No. 2 on Derby points leaderboard (50). Derby future wager odds: 19-1
After more than three months without a race, Further Ado is set for 3-year-old debut ... Worked 4 furlongs in 49.40 second on Feb. 28 at Payson Park ... 14th fastest of 49 at the distance ... Has a maiden win by 20 lengths and a last time out win in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28 ... Owner: Spendthrift Farm ... Pedigree: Gun Runner-Sky Dreamer, by Sky Mesa ... Purchased for $510,000 at Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training ... Next start: Tampa Bay Derby, Tampa Bay Downs, March 7 ...... No. 26 on Derby points leaderboard (10). Derby future wager odds: 24-1.
Working of late with blinkers on to keep him focused after running third in Risen Star on Feb. 14 ... Won first two starts, including Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 17 ... A top four finish in next start likely gives colt enough points to make Derby field ... Owners: Phipps Stable, St. Elias Stable ... Pedigree: Curlin-Carrumba, by Bernadini ... Next start: Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds, March 21 ... No. 7 on Derby points leaderboard (35). Derby future wager odds: 32-1
Did not beat toughest field over the weekend, but lived up to his 4-5 odds with a hard-fought one length victory in Gotham Stakes over Crown the Buckeye in 3-year-old debut ... He’s now 2-for-2 and with 50 Derby points has likely clinched his spot in the Run for the Roses ... Owners: St. Elias Stable, William Lawrence, Glassman Racing ... Breeding: Nyquist-Orencia, by Blame ... Purchased for $475,000 at Keeneland September Yearling Sale 2024 ... Next start: Wood Memorial (G1), Aqueduct, April 4 ... No. 5 on Derby points leaderboard (50) ... Derby future wager odds: 122-1
Worked 4 furlongs in leisurely 50.29 seconds at Palm Beach Downs on Feb. 27 ... Won Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 7 ... In previous two starts, finished first in maiden race but was DQ’d (Paladin was elevated to first) at Aqueduct on Oct. 17 and finished second in Remsen Stakes ... 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 ... Next race: Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park, March 28 ... No. 9 on Derby points leaderboard (25). Derby future wage odds: 16-1
Worked 5 furlongs in 1:02.20 at Santa Anita on Feb. 28 ... Won American Pharoah Stakes and finished fifth in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile before running second in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes in 3-year-old debut ... Owners: Dutch Girl Holdings, Irving Ventures ... Pedigree: Maximus Mischief-Overly Indulgent, by Pleasantly Perfect ... Purchased for $385,000 at Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training 2025 ... Next race: Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita, April 4 ... No. 11 on Derby points leaderboard (23). Derby future wager odds: 82-1
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.
