2026 Kentucky Derby TOP 10 Contenders | December 2025 | In The Money Media

The puma winner kentucky derby

My question is , does anyone shave in this country anymore ? 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢 This is a real question . 🤮🤮

CLASS PRESIDENT- SILENT TACTIC-RED NOFFE I think there’s allot of talent this year!

Pete, may I ask, why don't you and JK make out your own list, is it due to just not enough time? Anyway, good info. Guy's. Thank you.

My money is with Brant

What about Todd Pletchers Holy Bull winner???

several of these are out

Way way way to early for this discussion.

I like Paladin. But I go by names.

Further Ado

Napoleon Solo!

Further Ado & Mr A.P. 🎉

Horses to watch:Plutarch can handle 1 1/4 now. Bravaro a swift Saffie who is now back in training.

UNIVERSE will become a top player as the distances grow.

There's definitely one horse that has no shot, Brant and Bob baffert!😂😂😂

Cannoneer is a nice animal, I caut a nice pick 5 with him last time he won!❤

Ted noffy or further adieu! Spendthrift farm!

Napoleon Solo Tops The Chart... I believe MSP Win as a 2 Year old is Important, also He is a Grade 1 Winner already. Two important Golden Rules. However there are 3 more Golden Rules I am Looking for. Ted Noffey like the name, breeder Cup Juvenile Winner (Good LucK). I believe Further Ado has More Upside then Ted Noffey. But I would Rather have Universe then both of those Horses. My Interesting Horse I am Watching for December 20th is Very Connected; who I will be Wagering on in the GunRunner at Fairgrounds.

It's time for Chad to win a Derby . If not Paladin , then maybe Rebel Instinct

PALADIN

Noffey easily. Litmus Test Blacksmith.

Even tho he was up the track in the Remsen, I still like Talkin long-term 4 Danny Gargan. The 11 post was part of the problem; very wide on both turns & he had very little left in the stretch. His next 2 turn race will b pretty telling. Also, I'm gonna keep my eye on Intrepido 4 his next race as he was away slowly in the Juvenile & didn't run up 2 par relative 2 his American Pharoah win. Ted Noffey has the best resume & will b pointed 2 the Florida Derby w/ a local prep b4 that. I hope Mr. A.P. moves 4ward so the gr8 American Pharoah can have a rly live home-grown KD entrant next May. If Blackout Time is sound, he'll b a real threat in the prep season. Incredibolt has all the right connections 2 have faith he'll b developed properly & spotted appropriately throughout the road 2 the KD, ditto 4 Paladin & then some. Renegade deserves an honorable mention; Todd should drop him down 2 a MSW & let him get a win now then move him back up 2 get him some confidence so he doesn't end up like Publisher.

Of course dominated in the Breeders Cup race winning by a length after being 8 lengths back at the 3/4 mile post. I knew he closed like a freight train as anyone can see by watching just a few clips of his performances. Superb turn of foot which was ignored by these experts. Take a peek at the youtube video and see for yourself the monster runner who Kinchen gave no chance to win.

J Kinchen opinions on thoroughbred horses carries zero weight for me. In 2024 he talked about every horse in the Breeders Cup turf mile except my horse More Than Looks. If one took a little time to actually study each horse then one might be able to comment with better accuracy. I knew my horse was phenomenal and More Than Looks

Ted is the best 2 yr old

Does anyone know what Englishman is doing right now? Cherie said he will run in fairgrounds but I don’t see any works?

As the 8th grader who was bigger and more athletic than everyone, I didn’t appreciate the comment 😭😭😭

JK dodged the question. Would you take 10-1 on Ted with a money-back guarantee should he not make the starting gate?

BCJ winner is an auto-fade. Look how they were closing on him.

Brant has no shot; Further Ado is a snail. KYD 2026 winner is probably not in this top 10.

I am rooting for the transgender horse.

Mr. A. P. the claimer

Ted Noffey. But... maybe Blackout Time.

I like following prospects so far -

Universe - Sired by Global Champaign the fastest routing son of Curlin. Won the 9F Peter Pan in 1:46 plus and was 3rd by 3 1/4L in a BCC completed in i:59.52. If Good Magic and Keen Ice were able to sire a KD winner. Global Champaign with his A P Indy mare is better bred to do so.

Mesquite - Sired by Union Rags who was 7th place finisher as the 2nd choice in the 2012 KD. He returned to win the Belmont. Two 7th place finishers in the KD have sired KD winners i.e., Birdstone and Keen Ice. this colt closed from a long way last to win last out. Not many rase entrants could recover to erase such a deficit. His unraced dam is by Mindshaft (A P Indy) and out of an Empire Maker Mare. He pedigree therefore reflects 3 Belmont winners in his first 4 generation.

JK,

Kentucky Jockey Club -



2007 - Super Saver -1:42.83 (Stakes Record)

2024 - First Resort - 1:43.10 (fastest in last 16 renewals)

2025 - Further Ado -1:43.33 (2nd fastest in last 16 renewals)



Obviously, you were unaware of the above cold facts when you declared you weren't crazy about Further Ado's KJC win. What would have impressed you? A stakes record.

The colt broke his maiden the 3rd time of asking over the same distance in 1:43.52. He recorded faster time in the KJC. he was never going to defeat Universe who was 3rd in the Champagne (G1) & 2nd Street Sense (G3); Solider N Diplomat who was 4th in the Hopeful (G1) and Very Dedicated who was 3rd in the Street Sense (G3) by 20L.

Erick's mental acuity needs to be questioned for ranking a Todd Pletcher trained horse at #1 for the 2026 KD.



Fierceness destroyed graded stakes winners by 61/2L in the BCJ. He finished15th by 25Lin the KD
Ted Noffey held on for 1L victory over a last out MSW winner who broke his maiden by a nose.

KD results for Todd Pletcher's BCJ winners - (For KD Future Pool players)



2025 - Ted Noffey - TBD
2023 - Fierceness - 15th by 25L

2022 - Fort - DNS

2012 - Shanghai Bobby - DNS

2010 - Uncle Mo - DNS



Based purely on the above. No even one's enemy money should be wagered on Ted Noffey to win the 2026 KD. OK! It's a horse race and any result is possible. But history provides a meaningful guide.



NB: TP's KD entrant with a January foaling finished amongst the also rans -



2012 - Gemologist (January 28th)- Undefeated 5 starts ahead of the KD- Finished 16 of 20

2013 - Verrazano - (January 27th) Undefeated 4 starts ahead of the KD- Finished 14 of 19
2025 - Ted Noffey - (January 17th) TBD

The gestation period for horses is 11months. The dams of the above horses a had to be placed under lights to be receptive to a stallion in the Winter month of February. Horses in the wild do not cycle during the winter months as their foals would be delivered in the snow and ice, thus creating survival issue particularly in harsh winters.

Despite the physical development advantage that January foals possess. Their record in the KD is dismal. The last January foal to win the KD was Grindstone and he got home by a nose.

Have to disagree on the Cherie Deveaux is on people’s short list to win a derby . What’s she had maybe one starter ?

Incredibolt

Wheel Ted noffey in the derby

I am not a big Derby Future player but did bet Englishman in 1st Pool... And also got another
And Brad has a maiden winner that is not on anyone's radar that I know of... But loved the works prior to debut somehow caught 13-1 on debut which I know is a red flag... Confessional Essential Quality out of an American Pharoah mare

Ted Noffey breaks the backboard!

WILLY!!!