Kentucky Derby 2026: Meet the Bafferts

Bob Baffert's 23 Triple Crown nominees represent the Hall of Fame trainer's latest attempt to return to racing's biggest stages and add to his six Kentucky Derby wins. In case anyone needs reminding, his Derby winners include Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002) American Pharoah (2015), Justify (2018) and Authentic (2020).

The nominees represent some of the best prospects of this 3-year-old class, including several expensive yearling purchases. His 23 nominations range from Grade 1 winners with legitimate Derby chances to unraced maidens still developing their racing foundations. Let's take a look. 

On the Derby leaderboard

Litmus Test by Nyquist-Study Hard, (19 Derby points), 5: 2-0-1 $350K

Litmus Test leads Baffert's Triple Crown nominees after capturing the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 13 with a 125 Horse Racing Nation speed figure. The $875,000 yearling purchase earned his first victory in his debut at Del Mar in August before adding the Futurity victory to his record. He was entered but will be scratched from the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

Brant by Gun Runner-Tynan, (9 Derby points), 3: 2-0-1 $408K

Brant, purchased for $3 million at the OBS March sale, earned his Derby points with a third-place finish in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar. The Zedan Racing Stables colt broke his maiden on debut at Del Mar in July with a 119 HRN speed figure. His dam Tynan was a multiple stakes-placed mare who earned $71K in 13 starts.

Blacksmith by Liam's Map-Sweet Achiever, (5 Derby points), 4: 0-2-1 $62K

Blacksmith, purchased for $525,000 at Keeneland September, hasn't broken through yet with two runner-up finishes from four starts for Wathnan Racing. The colt earned a career-best 136 HRN speed figure when finishing second in his Santa Anita debut last October. He finished third in a maiden special weight at Santa Anita on Jan. 9 and last worked on Saturday. 

Desert Gate by Omaha Beach-Theogony, (5 Derby points), 4: 2-2-0 $246K

Desert Gate, purchased for $260,000 at OBS March, earned Derby points with a second-place finish in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) after winning his first two starts. The colt broke his maiden at Santa Anita in June with a 115 HRN speed figure and is entered in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita as the 6-5 morning-line favorite. His dam Theogony was a stakes winner who earned $405K with five victories from 19 starts.

Plutarch by Into Mischief-Stellar Wind, (3 Derby points), 5: 1-2-2 $132K

Plutarch broke through for his first victory in a maiden special weight at Del Mar on Nov. 30 after four previous starts. The colt is out of champion mare Stellar Wind, who earned $2.9 million with 10 victories including multiple Grade 1 wins. He hasn't raced since that maiden win but is entered in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes with 4-1 morning-line odds.

Cherokee Nation by Not This Time-Believe in Charlie, (1 Derby point), 4: 0-2-0 $43K

Cherokee Nation, purchased for $1.15 million at Keeneland September, has yet to break his maiden, with two runner-up finishes from four starts. The colt earned his Derby point with a fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs and is entered in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes with 5-1 morning-line odds. His dam Believe in Charlie earned $205K from 23 starts with four victories and two additional placings.

Other runners

Boyd by Violence-A Taste of Red, 2: 2-0-0 $187K

Boyd won the Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29 after breaking his maiden on debut at Del Mar in September. The colt, purchased for $280K at Keeneland September, has posted speed figures of 105 and 112 in his two victories for Zedan Racing Stables. His dam's top offspring Microcap won five races and earned $284K from 22 starts.

Greenwich Village by Quality Road-Houtzen (AUS), 3: 2-0-0 $91K

Greenwich Village won the Baffle Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 25 after capturing his debut at Los Alamitos in December. The colt, purchased for $350K at Keeneland September, earned a 114 HRN speed figure in his stakes victory. His dam Houtzen was an Australian Group 1 winner who earned over $1.6 million with seven victories from 21 starts.

Kristofferson by Nyquist-Impasse, 2: 1-0-0 $49K

Kristofferson, purchased for $1.15 million at Keeneland September, broke his maiden on debut at Del Mar in August with a 120 HRN speed figure. The colt finished sixth in his second start in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita in October. His dam Impasse earned $223K from 23 starts with four victories. He most recently worked six furlongs in 1:12.4 at Santa Anita on Jan. 18, so he hasn't worked in a couple of weeks. 

Buetane by Tiz the Law-Taboo, 3: 1-2-0 $148K

Buetane, purchased for $1.15 million at OBS April, finished second in the San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita on Jan. 10. The colt for Zedan Racing Stables won his debut at Del Mar in August with a 115 HRN speed figure. He was entered but will be scratched from the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn. He worked four furlongs in 47.8 seconds at Santa Anita on Feb. 1. 

Potente by Into Mischief-Sweet Sting, 1 starts: 1-0-0 $42K

Potente broke his maiden on debut at Santa Anita on Saturday with a 109 HRN speed figure for Speedway Stables. The colt went off as the 3-5 favorite in his debut victory at six furlongs on dirt. His dam Sweet Sting earned $68K from nine starts with one victory and three additional placings.

Maiden runners

Winston Ave by Quality Road-Great Sister Diane, 2: 0-1-0 $16K

By Quality Road, the colt was purchased for $325K at Keeneland September and earned a career-best 111 HRN speed figure when finishing second in his debut at Del Mar. He most recently ran fourth in a maiden special on Dec. 28, opening day at Santa Anita, but worked six furlongs in 1:12.8 at Santa Anita on Feb. 1. His dam Great Sister Diane won four races and earned $128K from 18 starts, and his top sibling Barricade won twice and earned $223K. 

Rio Grande by Justify-Kram, 5: 0-1-2 $29K

Rio Grande is by Triple Crown winner Justify out of a Colonel John mare. The colt, purchased for $750K at Keeneland September, has managed one second-place finish and two thirds from five starts. He most recently finished eighth in a Santa Anita maiden special on Dec. 29 and worked five furlongs in one minute  flat Friday at Santa Anita. His dam Kram won five races and earned $190K from 17 starts, and his top sibling Strong State earned $256K with three wins including Grade 3 placing. 

Falcon Jet by Justify-Starship Bonita, 5: 0-2-3 $54K

Falcon Jet is by Justify and was purchased for $750K at Keeneland September. The colt has recorded two runner-up finishes and three third-place efforts from five starts with a top HRN speed figure of 108. He most recently ran third in a maiden special on Dec. 6 at Los Alamitos, and he worked five furlongs in one minute at Santa Anita on Friday. His dam Starship Bonita earned $577K from 20 starts with four victories and six additional placings.

Authentic Patriot by Authentic-Front Range, 1 starts: 0-0-0 $1K

Authentic Patriot is by 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic out of a Giant's Causeway mare. The colt finished sixth in his debut and only start at Del Mar in November, earning a 100 HRN speed figure. He worked five furlongs in 1:00.6 on Feb. 1 at Santa Anita. His dam Front Range managed two wins from nine starts and earned $100K, and his top sibling American Monarch won four races and earned $330K. 

Unraced maidens

Campobasso by Street Sense-Italia

Campobasso is by 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of a Medaglia d'Oro mare. The colt has six works in the last 60 days and most recently worked five furlongs in 1:01.0 at Santa Anita on Friday. His dam's top offspring Ravenna made just one start without any earnings. He is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables.

Crude Velocity by Beau Liam-Sweetnsour Kitty, $250K

Crude Velocity was purchased for $250K at OBS June and is by Beau Liam out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare. The colt has six works in the last 60 days and most recently worked three furlongs in 35.8 seconds at Santa Anita on Jan. 26. His dam was unraced. 

Duntov by Maxfield-Bible Belt, $575K

Duntov was purchased for $575K at Keeneland September and is by Maxfield out of a Pulpit mare. The colt has six works in the last 60 days and most recently worked five furlongs in 59.6 at Santa Anita on January 25. His dam Bible Belt won two races from eight starts and earned $37K, and his top sibling Hardworkcleanlivin earned $67K with seven victories.

Embry Show by Modernist-Lila Ruth, $300K

Embry Show was purchased for $300K at OBS June and is by Modernist out of a Sidney's Candy mare. The colt has seven works in the last 60 days and most recently worked four furlongs in 49.4 at Santa Anita on Monday. His dam Lila Ruth earned $55K from 11 starts with one victory and four additional placings.

Kelce by Quality Road-Vertical Oak

Kelce is by Quality Road and is out of stakes winner Vertical Oak, who earned $773K with nine victories from 23 starts including Grade 1 placing. The colt has six works in the last 60 days and most recently worked five furlongs in 1:00 at Santa Anita on January 30. His top sibling Giant Mischief won five races and earned $588K with a Grade 1 placing.

Memory by Uncle Mo-Sundaysatthebeach

Memory is by Uncle Mo out of a Medaglia d'Oro mare. The colt has six works in the last 60 days and most recently worked five furlongs in 1:00.0 at Santa Anita on Friday. His dam earned $129K from six starts with one victory and four placings, while his top sibling First World War won three races including a Grade 3 victory.

Newton by Munnings-Secret Jewel

Newton is by Munnings out of a Bernardini mare. The colt has five works in the last 60 days and most recently worked four furlongs in 48.6 at Santa Anita on Monday. His dam Secret Jewel earned $19K from four starts with one placing, and his top sibling Twenty Carat won twice and earned $119K including a Grade 3 victory.

Sabino Canyon by Maxfield-Broadway Play, $575K

Sabino Canyon was purchased for $575K at Keeneland September and is by Maxfield out of a Quality Road mare. The colt has seven works in the last 60 days and most recently worked five furlongs in 1:00.8 at Los Alamitos on Wednesday. His dam Broadway Play won two races from five starts and earned $46K, while his top sibling Littlestitious won three races and earned $217K.