The Road to the Kentucky Derby: March Results and What Comes Next
When we published our March prep race preview, the field was still taking shape. Now the shape is clearer — and it’s an interesting one. Three major preps have run, favorites have been beaten, longshots have announced themselves, and the Derby picture heading into the final qualifying round looks wide open. Here’s everything you need to know before the big 100-point preps kick off March 21.
What Happened in March: The Three Big Preps Reviewed
Gotham Stakes (G3) — Aqueduct, February 28 — Result: Iron Honor
The Gotham delivered exactly what the race often does: a lightly raced New York-based horse with a slick trainer behind him stepping up and getting the job done. Iron Honor, trained by Chad Brown and making only his second career start, tracked the pace and held off Crown the Buckeye by a length in the one-mile test. The Nyquist colt looked professional throughout, and Brown confirmed afterward that he’ll stay in New York and target the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct on April 4 as his final Derby prep.
Iron Honor moved from 122-1 to 25-1 in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool after the win. He currently sits sixth on the Derby points leaderboard with 50 points. Whether he can back it up at a mile and an eighth around two turns is the question — but Brown trains horses like this for a living.
Tampa Bay Derby (G3) — Tampa Bay Downs, March 7 — Result: The Puma
The Tampa Bay Derby delivered the biggest surprise of the early prep season. The Puma, trained by Gustavo Delgado Sr. and still a maiden entering the race, upset a favored field that included Kentucky Jockey Club winner Further Ado and unbeaten Canaletto. The Puma had shown talent in two earlier starts against quality horses — including a debut loss to Chief Wallabee — but nobody expected him to graduate in a Grade 3 stakes.
What makes The Puma interesting beyond the result: the ownership group and trainer are the same team that won the 2023 Kentucky Derby with Mage. They know how to get a horse to Churchill Downs in one piece. The Puma opened at 25-1 in the futures market after the win, dropping from 123-1. Further Ado, the beaten favorite, holds 25 points and is eyeing the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 4.
Rebel Stakes (G2) — Oaklawn Park, March 1 — Result: Class President
The richest of the three March preps lived up to its billing. Class President, a Todd Pletcher trainee owned by WinStar Farm and ridden by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, won by a nose over Southwest Stakes winner Silent Tactic in a $1 million race before a crowd of 29,000 at Hot Springs. It was Class President’s first time around two turns and his first start outside Florida — he passed every test.
The win moved Class President from 125-1 to 45-1 in the futures market. At just his third career start, he’s a fascinating horse with a pedigree (Uncle Mo out of a Quality Road mare) built for classic distances. Pletcher said he’d evaluate options, including the possibility of pointing straight to the Kentucky Derby without another prep.
Litmus Test, a Bob Baffert trainee who set the pace and finished third, is targeting the Arkansas Derby on March 28. Silent Tactic, who ran second, drifted from 12-1 to 40-1 after the loss.
Who’s Leading the Points Race?
As of mid-March, the 2026 Derby points leaderboard shapes up like this:
Paladin (Chad Brown) — 60 pts — Won Risen Star (G2), Remsen (G2)
Commandment (Brad Cox) — 50 pts — Won Fountain of Youth (G2)
Nearly (Todd Pletcher) — 50 pts — Won Holy Bull (G3)
Class President (Todd Pletcher) — 50 pts — Won Rebel (G2)
Iron Honor (Chad Brown) — 50 pts — Won Gotham (G3)
Potente (Bob Baffert) — 50 pts — Won San Felipe (G2)
The Puma (Gustavo Delgado Sr.) — 50 pts — Won Tampa Bay Derby (G3)
Chief Wallabee (Bill Mott) — 25 pts — 2nd Fountain of Youth (G2)
Renegade (Todd Pletcher) — 25 pts — Won Sam F. Davis (G3)
Paladin leads with 60 points and has already secured his spot in the gate. The Chad Brown-trained son of Gun Runner is unbeaten in three starts and targets the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland on April 4 as his final prep. He’s currently listed at 5-1 in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 5 and is the clear market leader.
What’s Coming: The 100-Point Preps
This is where the Derby picture gets serious. Starting March 21, the Road to the Kentucky Derby enters its championship phase — and the points on offer nearly double. The top five finishers in these races earn 100-50-25-15-10 points respectively, meaning a single win is enough to virtually guarantee a starting gate spot at Churchill Downs.
March 21 — Two 100-Point Races on the Same Day
Louisiana Derby (G2) — Fair Grounds, New OrleansOne and three-sixteenths miles on dirt. One of the longest-running preps on the calendar and a race that has produced multiple Derby winners. The Fair Grounds pipeline often delivers horses that are physically mature and ready to run big in May. Watch for horses that have been building through the New Orleans winter circuit.
Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) — Turfway Park, KentuckyA mile and an eighth on synthetic Tapeta. The Jeff Ruby acts as a bridge race for horses that aren’t quite ready for the elite preps but need points and mileage. Synthetic surface form doesn’t always translate to dirt, so treat any winner here with appropriate caution unless they’ve shown dirt form too.
March 28 — The Big Weekend: Three G1/G2 Preps
Florida Derby (G1) — Gulfstream Park, FloridaOne and an eighth miles on dirt — 100 points to the winner. The season’s first Grade 1 prep and traditionally one of the most important races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Commandment (Fountain of Youth winner) and Chief Wallabee (Fountain of Youth runner-up, trained by Bill Mott who won this race last year with Sovereignty) are both expected to run. Nearly, Todd Pletcher’s Holy Bull winner, is also pointing here. This shapes up as the most competitive single prep race of the spring.
Arkansas Derby (G1) — Oaklawn Park, ArkansasOne and an eighth miles on dirt — 100 points to the winner. The final major prep at Oaklawn and often the launching pad for horses coming through the Midwest/Southern pipeline. Renegade (Sam F. Davis winner) and Litmus Test (Rebel third-place finisher, trained by Baffert) are both expected to start. Class President may also run here depending on Pletcher’s decision. Oaklawn has been a reliable producer of Derby horses for decades.
UAE Derby (G2) — Meydan, DubaiOne and three-sixteenths miles on dirt — 100 points to the winner. Part of the international Road to the Kentucky Derby circuit and the final major prep for horses racing overseas. Any winner shipping from Dubai to Churchill Downs faces a significant logistical challenge, but the race has produced credible Derby starters in recent years.
April 4 — Three More 100-Point Preps
Blue Grass Stakes (G1) — Keeneland, KentuckyOne and an eighth miles on dirt. Paladin, the current market leader, targets this race. Further Ado and Reagan’s Honor are also expected. Keeneland’s one-turn configuration at this distance is worth noting — horses need to position early.
Santa Anita Derby (G1) — Santa Anita, CaliforniaOne and an eighth miles on dirt. The West Coast’s signature Derby prep. Potente (San Felipe winner) and Cherokee Nation (a Bob Baffert trainee who won a Santa Anita maiden by 10 lengths with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure) are both expected to run.
Wood Memorial (G2) — Aqueduct, New YorkOne and an eighth miles on dirt. Chad Brown’s Iron Honor is targeted here in what would be his first two-turn test. Brown is comfortable keeping the horse in New York — Iron Honor is 2-for-2 on the Aqueduct surface and the trainer prefers not to ship unnecessarily.
March at a Glance: Key Results and Next Starts
Gotham (G3) — Winner: Iron Honor — Trainer: Chad Brown — Next Start: Wood Memorial (Apr 4)
Fountain of Youth (G2) — Winner: Commandment — Trainer: Brad Cox — Next Start: Florida Derby (Mar 28)
Rebel (G2) — Winner: Class President — Trainer: Todd Pletcher — Next Start: TBD
Tampa Bay Derby (G3) — Winner: The Puma — Trainer: Gustavo Delgado Sr. — Next Start: TBD
San Felipe (G2) — Winner: Potente — Trainer: Bob Baffert — Next Start: Santa Anita Derby (Apr 4)
Betting the Next Stage at MyWinners
Every race in the 100-point series streams live at our Connecticut venue locations in East Haven, Stamford, and Windsor Locks. You’ll find full-card past performances, live simulcast, and a betting counter staffed by people who follow the Derby trail as closely as you do.
Betting these preps pari-mutuel through MyWinners means you’re in the pool with the sharpest money in North American horse racing. The Florida Derby and Arkansas Derby in particular draw serious action — and with five horses in most of these fields carrying legitimate Derby credentials, the exactas and trifectas can produce real value.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, or download the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Kentucky Derby preps are still to come in March 2026?
The Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds and Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park both run on March 21, each offering 100 qualifying points to the winner. On March 28, the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park and Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park are the headline events, again offering 100 points to win. The UAE Derby in Dubai also runs March 28 as part of the international Road to the Kentucky Derby circuit.
Who is leading the 2026 Kentucky Derby points standings?
Paladin, trained by Chad Brown, leads the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 60 qualifying points and a perfect 3-for-3 record. He is the current market favorite at 5-1 in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and targets the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 4 as his final prep.
What happened in the 2026 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park?
Class President, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, won the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) by a nose over Silent Tactic before a crowd of 29,000 at Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was Class President’s first race around two turns and his first outside Florida. The victory earned him 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby.
Can I bet on the Kentucky Derby prep races at MyWinners?
Yes. MyWinners lets you bet pari-mutuel horse racing including all major Derby preps — the Florida Derby, Arkansas Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, and every race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby — through a licensed, secure platform built for Connecticut bettors. You can also watch every prep live at Winners venue locations in CT in East Haven, Stamford, and Windsor Locks.
Which horse is the best bet in the 2026 Florida Derby?
The Florida Derby shapes up as the most competitive single prep of the spring, with Commandment, Chief Wallabee, and Nearly all expected to run. Commandment (Brad Cox) won the Fountain of Youth in a neck battle and is training toward longer distances. Chief Wallabee (Bill Mott) ran an honest second in that same race and has form over the Gulfstream surface. Neither is a standout overlay — this could be the race where the market gets the order wrong. Watch the morning line and track the workouts coming out of Florida in the days before March 28.
