With the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) just 164 days away, the action on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" is heating up. Prospective owners and handicappers are intensely scrutinizing workouts and race results, setting the initial Kentucky Derby odds for the contenders aiming for the first Saturday in May. Here is the latest on the horses making noise, where the early value might be found, and who's moving up the leaderboards.
The Nov. 29 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs is one of the most critical early-season stepping stones. Nominations for the 1 1/16-mile contest closed recently, with a strong field of 27 horses potentially lining up. This race is vital for establishing initial position, as it awards qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis to the top five finishers. Serious bettors looking to bet on Kentucky Derby futures should pay close attention to this field.
Among the most exciting nominees is Further Ado. The Brad Cox trainee made a stunning impression last month by dominating a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Keeneland, winning by a jaw-dropping 20 lengths. His next performance will define whether he becomes a favorite or a major longshot in the opening Kentucky Derby odds.
Other notable entrants include:
Beyond the graded stakes nominees, a new wave of promising two-year-olds is scoring maiden victories and entering the conversation. One standout is Smoovin Saturday, a Reddam Racing homebred son of 2012 Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another.
Debuting in a one-mile maiden special weight for California-breds, Smoovin Saturday launched a determined late rally to defeat a half-dozen rivals by 1 1/4 lengths. Horses winning their debut often offer excellent early Kentucky Derby betting value before their Kentucky Derby odds shorten in future races.
Quick Tip: Before you check the Horses Workouts, boost your bankroll with the top new-player bonus.
Workout times are critical indicators used by oddsmakers such as BUSR and sharp bettors alike to adjust the Kentucky Derby odds. Kentucky Derby contenders have been logging serious work over the past week:
| Horse | Last Race Finish | Workout | Distance | Time | Date | Track |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| It’s Our Time | Champagne (G1), 4th | Bullet Work | Five Furlongs | \s:59.40 | Thursday | Churchill Downs |
| Very Connected | Street Sense (G3), 3rd | Speedy Drill | Half a Mile | \s:47.40 | Saturday | Churchill Downs |
| Ganaas | Street Sense (G3), 5th | Standard Drill | Half a Mile | \s:48.00 | Thursday | Keeneland |
| Vost | Iroquois (G3), 3rd | Comeback Drill | Half a Mile | \s:48.20 | Friday | Churchill Downs |
| Stradale | Champagne (G1), 5th | Maintenance | Half a Mile | \s:49.60 | Sunday | Churchill Downs |
| Talkin | Champagne (G1), 2nd | Easy Drill | Four Furlongs | \s:51.25 | Thursday | Belmont Park |
| Spice Runner | Breeders’ Futurity (G1), 5th | Seeking Form | Five Furlongs | 1:01.00 | Sunday | Churchill Downs |
| Maximus Prime | Iroquois (G3), 5th | Long Drill | Five Furlongs | 1:02.80 | Friday | The Thoroughbred Center |
The consistent performance of It’s Our Time is starting to pay off, as his blazing five-furlong workout pushed him up two spots on the latest Kentucky Derby Power Rankings, moving from 13th to 11th place.
New names are constantly cycling into contention:
| Rank | Horse | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ted Noffey | 40 points |
| 2 | Mr. A. P. | 15 points |
| 3 | Intrepido | 13 points |
| 4 | Spice Runner | 11 points |
| 5 | Napoleon Solo | 10 points |
| Rank | Horse | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawk Mountain | 20 points |
| 2 | Puerto Rico | 10 points |
| 3 | Bow Echo | 10 points |
| 4 | Action | 8 points |
| 5 | Nighttime | 5 points |
The Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar was unfortunately canceled this year due to a lack of entries, even after being postponed once. While the Bob Hope itself was not a points race, it historically served as a critical prep for the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), which offers valuable 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualification points. The cancellation forces West Coast trainers to adjust their schedules and could lead to tighter fields in remaining stakes races as they look for opportunities to bet on Kentucky Derby points.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
