Kentucky Derby 2026: Meet Mark Casse's 8 nominees

Mark Casse's eight Triple Crown nominees represent the Hall of Fame trainer's continued pursuit of his first Kentucky Derby victory. A trainer of five Eclipse Award winners with two Triple Crown victories and six Breeders' Cup wins, Casse has an 11: 0-0-0 record in the Derby, with Classic Empire's fourth-place finish in 2017 his best result. Casse won the 2019 Preakness with War of Will and the Belmont with Sir Winston the same year.

His nominees range from Grade 3 Southwest Stakes winner Silent Tactic, who leads the contingent with 25 Derby points, to maiden Easy Pick, who is still seeking his first victory after one start. The group includes several high-priced auction purchases and horses bred in Kentucky, Florida and Pennsylvania. Casse's horses have earned over $1.6 million combined, with multiple stakes winners led by the John Oxley homebred Strategic Risk.

On the Derby leaderboard

Silent Tactic by Tacitus-Magical Sign, (25 Derby points), 4: 2-2-0 $594K

Silent Tactic leads Casse's Triple Crown nominees after capturing the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn on Feb. 6 with a 114 Horse Racing Nation speed figure. The $500,000 OBS April purchase earned his first victory in his debut at Woodbine in October and is entered in the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn on Sunday. The colt races for John Oxley and was bred by Don Alberto.

Strategic Risk by Noble Bird-Strategize, (10 Derby points), 7: 3-0-1 $417K

Strategic Risk earned his 10 Derby points by winning the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn before finishing 10th in the Southwest Stakes (G3) on Feb. 6. The homebred colt won three races from seven starts, including his debut at Gulfstream Park in June. He posted his top HRN speed figure of 118 in a Florida-bred stakes and is entered in the Rebel Stakes (G2) as well. The John Oxley homebred has 19 lifetime workouts heading into the Rebel.

Other runners

Ewing by Knicks Go-Sassy Ali Joy, 3: 2-0-0 $169K

Ewing won his first two starts before finishing sixth in the Ozark Stakes at Oaklawn on Feb. 16, where he earned a career-best 101 HRN speed figure. The $585,000 OBS April purchase broke his maiden on debut at Saratoga in July and is pointed toward the Arkansas Derby (G1) on March 28. The colt has 18 lifetime workouts for his partnership of D.J. Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and Kenneth Freirich.

Counting Stars by Honor A. P.-Paynterbynumbers, 5: 3-0-0 $238K

Counting Stars won her first three starts before finishing eighth in the Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn on Feb. 6. The $150,000 OBS April purchase broke her maiden on debut at Churchill Downs in September with a 98 HRN speed figure and is entered in the Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn on Sunday.

Curtain Call by Tiz the Law-Deep Trouble, 4: 1-1-1 $108K

Curtain Call finished second in his debut at Churchill Downs in June before winning a maiden special weight at Woodbine and finishing sixth in the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont at Aqueduct. The $325,000 OBS March purchase by West Point Thoroughbreds has not raced since October but has been training steadily at Palm Meadows.

Our Magical Moon by Good Magic-Moonlight Serenade, 5: 1-1-2 $108K

Our Magical Moon broke his maiden on Dec. 13 at Oaklawn and most recently finished third in an allowance race at Oaklawn on Feb. 8. The $500,000 Fasig-Tipton August purchase posted his top HRN speed figure of 104 in his recent allowance effort. His dam Moonlight Serenade was by Malibu Moon, and the colt races for Live Oak Plantation with 19 lifetime workouts.

Souper Caliber by Gun Runner-Transplendid, 4: 1-0-0 $38K

Souper Caliber earned his lone victory in a maiden special weight at Woodbine in November with a 99 HRN speed figure. The $500,000 Fasig-Tipton August purchase for Live Oak Plantation made his debut on turf at Saratoga but found success on the synthetic surface at Woodbine, and he has yet to hit the board on any other surface.

Maiden runners

Easy Pick by Not This Time-Judy In Disguise, 1: 0-0-0 $1K

Easy Pick finished eighth in his debut at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25, earning a 93 HRN speed figure on turf. He worked four furlongs in 51.7 seconds at Palm Meadows on Feb. 13, and he is entered in a maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park on Friday. His dam Judy In Disguise was a stakes-placed British-bred mare who earned $214,000 with five victories from 17 starts.