Derby prep guide: La. Derby, Jeff Ruby winners earn 100 points

The horses moved onto the backside at Churchill Downs this week, a sure sign that Kentucky Derby 2026 is coming fast. Saturday's Louisiana Derby and Jeff Ruby Steaks mark the first two preps that offer 100 qualifying points to the winners.

The Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds drew a field of nine 3-year-olds racing 1 3/16 miles for the 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points, guaranteeing the winner a spot in the Kentucky Derby. The second-place finisher most likely will earn an entry as well, and the other finishers could pad their point totals for the Derby entry box.

The winners of the Lecomte (G3) and Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds, Golden Tempo and Chip Honcho, respectively, bring differing running styles but just as much talent to the table. Steve Asmussen's Chip Honcho has a high cruising speed and could lead the field in a race that seems paceless on paper. Golden Tempo has a deep closing style that requires a brisk pace, but trainer Cherie DeVaux is adding blinkers for the colt, and that could put him into it earlier.

Sunland Derby winner Pavlovian ships in for trainer Doug O'Neill and is the only other stakes winner in the field. The son of Pavel has a lot of experience but has yet to perform against the top-level competitors he faces here.

Paceless, she says? Bob Baffert's Blacksmith broke his maiden at Santa Anita in his fifth lifetime start, but he was facing the likes of So Happy, Robusta, Cherokee Nation and Litmus Test in those maiden efforts. Baffert runners are known to go for the lead and take it as far as they can, so he will keep it honest up front.

Chad Brown ships Tampa maiden winner Emerging Market here to test his talent against stakes horses. He'll get bet, but is he as good as Paladin or Iron Honor?

Others to note: Universe out of Kenny McPeek's barn hasn't had the same punch as he did last fall as a juvenile, but his fourth-place finish in the Risen Star (G2) could mark an awakening. He picks up pieces if the pace is hot.

Gulfstream maiden winner Easterly comes in off the Brad Cox bench. The son of Uncle Mo finished second to Rebel (G2) winner Class President in his first career start at Gulfstream in December. He's testing that class in a big way here.

More on every Louisiana Derby starter is here.

The Louisiana Derby is race 12, post time 6:24 EDT.

The 1 1/8-mile Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway drew a dozen 3-year-olds in pursuit of the 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Stark Contrast tops the field for trainer Michael McCarthy. The son of Caravaggio ships in from Santa Anita off a year-opening win in the Eddie Logan stakes on turf. The surface and distance are question marks for an otherwise solid morning-line fave.

Brad Cox has two entries, Fulleffort and Argos. Fulleffort was runner-up in the Leonatus Stakes and the Battaglia here in strong but just-not-enough performances. Neither horse who defeated him in those races are in this one, so can he stretch out and find victory?

Argos is new to the Cox barn, switching from Riley Mott. The Uncle Mo colt was last seen finishing fifth in the Colonel Liam stakes on turf at Gulfstream. Before that, he finished eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. He won the Summer Stakes (G1) at Woodbine at a mile in September. Like Stark Contrast, distance and surface are also questions. Cox, however, is confident they can go the distance. 

Brendan Walsh does a track and surface switch for Black Hornet. The Essential Quality colt is a stakes winner on turf at Fair Grounds, going 1 1/16 miles in the Black Gold Stakes last month. Walsh also has Stop the Car, a two-time winner before his race in the Lecomte, where he faded to seventh. 

The Jeff Ruby Steaks is race 12, post time 6:25 p.m.

Coverage of the Louisiana Derby and Jeff Ruby Steaks will be streamed on Peacock beginning at 6 p.m. They also also be on FanDuel TV as part of the regular racing broadcast.

Free past performances for this weekend's stakes are courtesy of Brisnet.

Here are the top lifetime speed figures for the Louisiana Derby entrants.

Here are the top lifetime speed figures for the Jeff Ruby Steaks entrants.

*TimeformUS speed figures are provided courtesy of Daily Racing Form.

HRN Handicappers

HRN's Ed DeRosa is on site for the Louisiana Derby this week, and he has one key tip for playing the race: Don't bet the post-time favorite. Find out why. 

When it comes to the 12-horse Jeff Ruby Steaks, Ed advises that you should go outside, posts 11 and 12, for the best bets. 

HorseCenter's Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman bring differing takes to the table for the Louisiana Derby and Jeff Ruby, with big prices in the mix. 

Head to Head handicappers Laurie Ross and Ashley Tamulonis wonder whether Kentucky Oaks leader Bella Ballerina is actually beatable this week.

They also land on a consensus play in the Louisiana Derby.

The Muniz Memorial presented by Horse Racing Nation drew a compact, but competitive, field of seven this year. Check out why a big-name shipper ripens the odds on the local entrants. 

Trainer Cherie DeVaux dials in to the Ron Flatter Racing Pod this week to talk about Golden Tempo, her Louisiana Derby horse. Get her insight into the horse's preparation for Fair Grounds and beyond. Also on the pod are John Cherwa and Keith Nelson on the Baffert move to Churchill, NTRA's Tom Rooney on industry hot topics and Mark Midland with handicapping tips for the preps. Listen here. 

Super Screener's Mike Shutty likes prices in several of the legs of the Bayou-Bluegrass Pick 5. Give it a look.

There are only 8 more preps for the Kentucky Derby after today. Get them all and rreserve your copy of the Kentucky Derby Super Screener now!

2026 Louisiana Derby G2

2026 Jeff Ruby Steaks G3