Derby prep guide: Blue Grass, Wood and Santa Anita Derby

Saturday marks the end of the road to the Kentucky Derby, with the final three major prep races set to fill the final slots in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. The Grade 1, 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass at Keeneland, the Grade 2, 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and the Grade 1, 1/18 mile Santa Anita Derby are on the docket for Saturday, so let's take a closer look. Each race offers 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers.

The Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland has produced four winners since 1991, with the most recent being Street Sense in 2007. A field of nine was drawn earlier this week, however two horses will scratch: Ocelli, who races in the Wood Memorial instead, and Class President, who came back from a workout not at 100%. Trainer Todd Pletcher hasn't ruled out a Derby run, however.

The defections leave seven in the gate with morning line favorite Further Ado much less to do to secure his spot in the Kentucky Derby. The Brad Cox trainee returned to action with a second-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby and looks to improve here. With Rebel winner Class President out, his biggest challenger could just be the pacesetter.

Cherie DeVaux's Reagan's Honor steps up in class and will be the main pace presence of the race. If unchallenged, the son of Honor A. P. could go a long way down Keeneland's stretch.

Battaglia winner Great White is also testing the waters and the surface. The John Ennis trainee has only raced on the Turfway synthetic, though his sire, Volatile, was a Grade 1 winner on dirt. 

More on the Blue Grass entrants is here. 

The Blue Grass is race 11, post time 6:22 p.m. EDT.

The Wood Memorial celebrates its 101st running and the final one at Aqueduct. The winner of the Wood Memorial has not won the Kentucky Derby since Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000. However, two Derby winners have finished second in the Wood since then - Monarchos in 2001 and Funny Cide in 2003. A field of thirteen has entered this year to try and add to this history, though 12 are expected to go since Chad Brown is running cross-entered Ottinho in the Blue Grass, according to a Thursday news release from NYRA. Another Chad Brown trainee, Iron Honor, leads the way.

Iron Honor won the Gotham in his last start, but that prep is only a one-turn one mile at Aqueduct, and it was only his second career start. The Nyquist colt still has a lot to prove but has the class to do it.

Napoleon Solo, who was last seen finishing fifth in the Tampa Bay Derby, returns to the scene of his Grade 1 Champagne triumph. Trainer Chad Summers can expect a move forward here, but will it be enough to make the Derby?

Bob Baffert ships Buetane to Aqueduct for one more swing at the Derby. His best finish in a Derby prep is a second in the San Vicente, and he was last seen finishing fourth in the Virginia Derby.

Get to know the big field here. 

The Wood Memorial is race 12, post time 6:34 p.m. EDT.

Finally, the Santa Anita Derby is the most productive Derby prep of the weekend. Since 1991, eight winners have prepped there, with the most recent, Authentic, coming from Bob Baffert's barn.

Baffert has two sharp entries in the seven-horse field this year. Potente, winner of the Robert B. Lewis, is following the familiar playbook Baffert used when bringing Justify to the Triple Crown. Potente broke his maiden on the last day of January and then stepped him up to the Lewis 30 days later. He received big speed figures in both races and comes into this one sharp, too.

Cherokee Nation just broke his maiden on Feb. 28 in his sixth lifetime start. However, he has attempted to win in the Kentucky Jockey Club stakes, where he finished fifth behind Further Ado, and in the Lewis, where he also finished fifth. Could he have finally figured out how to win? He will be dangerous here if so.

San Vicente winner So Happy and San Felipe runner-up Robusta could be the best chances for spoilers here.

The Santa Anita Derby is race 10, post time 7:46 p.m. EDT.

Coverage of the Blue Grass Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby will be streaming on Peacock beginning at 6 p.m. EDT. The Wood Memorial will be broadcast on FS1 during "America's Day at the Races" beginning at 4 p.m. EDT. Racing from all three tracks is also be part of daily coverage on FanDuel TV.

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

Here are the top lifetime speed figures for the Blue Grass entrants.

Here are the top lifetime speed figures for the Wood Memorial entrants.

Here are the top lifetime speed figures for the Santa Anita Derby entrants.

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

HRN Handicappers

Is Further Ado finally ready to win? HRN's Ed DeRosa thinks he has the edge in the Blue Grass. 

HorseCenter is ready for the weekend with analysis of all three Derby preps from Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman. Get their hot takes. 

Wood Memorial contender Iron Honor may look formidable on paper, but he still has to pass the 2-turn test. 

Trying to beat the Bafferts in the Santa Anita Derby? Here is a solid choice. 

Head-to-Head handicappers Laurie Ross and Ashley Tamulonis are split on their Wood Memorial decisions. 

Super Screeener has a long shot play at Aqueduct. 

Former FanDuel TV host Todd Schrupp breaks his silence and talks to Ron Flatter in this week's Ron Flatter Racing Pod. Get the scoop plus reflect on memorable moments from his career broadcasting horse racing. Super Screener's Mike Shutty also dials-in with Derby prep handicapping. Listen here. 

Reserve your copy of the Kentucky Derby Super Screener (plus the whole Triple Crown) now!

2026 Blue Grass G1

2026 Wood Memorial G2

2026 Santa Anita Derby G1