When he pulled clear in the stretch and won the Arkansas Derby (G1) by four lengths, Renegade stamped himself the likely favorite for the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 2. A son of champion sire Into Mischief, Renegade is trained by two-time Derby winner Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who is sticking with Renegade over three other Derby contenders he’s ridden to victory, including Commandment and Further Ado. Does he know something?
Renegade is by champion sire Into Mischief and out of the graded stakes-winning Curlin mare Spice Is Nice (her first foal). He was bred by co-owners Robert and Lawana Low and sold for $975,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale (Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment) to West Bloodstock on behalf of Repole Stable. The Lows kept an interest in their Kentucky homebred after the sale.
The Todd Pletcher trainee broke his maiden at second asking in New York in October, but was disqualified for interference and placed second, so by the time he made the Remsen Stakes (G2), where he finished second, he was still technically a maiden. His first official win came in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, drawing off to score by 3 ¾ lengths as the favorite. He stepped up to win the Arkansas Derby (G1) by four lengths as the even-money favorite in a field of eight, earning enough points to make the Derby gate.
Renegade is a classic closer/grinder who excels with a powerful late kick. In the Arkansas Derby, he rallied from last in the early going to roll to victory after finding a seam on the final turn to power home impressively.
He worked 4 furlongs in 48.87 seconds at Palm Beach Downs on April 16
With an Equibase rating of 115, Renegade, along with Commandment, top all the contenders. Not only that, he’s the 4-1 favorite in the Derby Future Wager.
We almost feel bad for co-owner Mike Repole with recent last minute Derby favorite scratches and beaten favorites, but this year he has come loaded with this colt. He's shaken off soundness rumors thanks to a pair of nice workouts since Oaklawn and his numbers suggest he is a legit favorite. Hopefully he’ll be a price because he’s a must-use on top and in every exotic combination possible.
- The Lows raised Renegade at their Primatara Farm near Springfield, Missouri. They previously sent Steppenwolfer out to a third-place finish in the 2006 Kentucky Derby.
- Mike Repole, a high-profile New York-based owner, has an 0-for-8 Derby record with the best a fifth from Mo Donegal (2022)
- Todd Pletcher and Repole previously teamed to win the 2013 Arkansas Derby (Overanalyze); Pletcher also won it for the Lows with Magnum Moon in 2018.
- Pletcher has two Derby winners: Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017).
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