Kentucky Derby 2026: Meet the jockeys in Saturday's classic

If the Kentucky Derby 2026 field stays as is, it will feature seven jockeys running for the roses for the first time in their careers.

The lineup also features five jockeys who have won the Derby before. They include Mike Smith, whose 28 Derby appearances are the most for any jockey, and John Velazquez, who is tied with Bill Shoemaker on that list at 26.

In the 2000s, only three jockeys have won the Derby on their first try, most recently Sonny Leon with Rich Strike in 2022. Another of those three is Stewart Elliott, 2004 winner with Smarty Jones, whose son Chris is making his first Derby start with Right to Party, and the other is Mario Gutierrez with I'll Have Another in 2012.

Junior Alvarado, Chief Wallabee

Alvarado finished out of the money in five tries at the Kentucky Derby until last year, when he won it with Sovereignty. The pair went on to win the Belmont Stakes, Jim Dandy (G2) and Travers (G1). Like Sovereignty, Chief Wallabee is trained by Bill Mott, and Alvarado has been aboard for all three of the colt’s starts.

Hector Berrios, Intrepido

Berrios will make his first Kentucky Derby start with Intrepido. He has ridden the colt for trainer Jeff Mullins in his last four starts, winning the American Pharoah (G1) and most recently finishing fourth in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). Berrios won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with Super Corredora, and he has 35 graded-stakes wins. All of those were in California except his win last year with Baeza in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1).

Javier Castellano, The Puma

Castellano also is a Kentucky Derby veteran, with 17 mounts dating to 2005. He got his only Derby win in 2023 with Mage, also for The Puma’s trainer Gustavo Delgado. Castellano has ridden The Puma for in three of his four starts, winning the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and finishing second by a nose in the Florida Derby (G1). Last year, Castellano was fifth in the Kentucky Derby with Owen Almighty.

Chris Elliott, Right to Party

Elliott, in his third year as a jockey, will make his first Kentucky Derby start as well as pursuing his first graded-stakes win. He’s been aboard Right to Party for three of his four starts, finishing second in the Wood Memorial (G2) and third in the Gotham (G3). His father, Stewart Elliott, won his Kentucky Derby debut with Smarty Jones in 2004.

Manny Franco, Albus

Franco has had six Kentucky Derby starts, with his best finish coming in 2020, when Tiz the Law finished second. Last year, he was aboard East Avenue for an eighth-place showing. This will be his first ride aboard Albus, winner of the Wood Memorial last out with Jaime Torres riding.

Tyler Gaffalione, Fulleffort

Gaffalione has ridden in the Kentucky Derby seven times. His best result was in 2023, when he rode Sierra Leone to second by a nose to Mystik Dan. This will be his first mount on Fulleffort, winner of the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) last out with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard.

Martin Garcia, Litmus Test

Garcia has had five Derby starters, most recently finishing 15th with Citizen Bull in last year’s edition. His best finish was third with Dortmund in 2015. This will be his first start on Litmus test, who is 0-for-2 this year and was seventh last out in the Arkansas Derby (G1) with Francisco Arrieta in the irons.

Brian Hernandez Jr., Six Speed

Hernandez won the Derby by a nose two years ago with Mystik Dan at 18-1 odds, completing the Derby-Kentucky Oaks double. Otherwise, his best finish was sixth last year with Burnham Square. This will be his first start with Six Speed, who was second in the UAE Derby (G2) last out behind Wonder Dean.

Juan Hernandez, Potente

This will be the first Kentucky Derby for Hernandez, who has become a leading rider in Southern California. He has ridden Potente in his two most recent starts, winning the San Felipe (G2) and finishing second to So Happy as the favorite in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).

Edwin Maldonado, Pavlovian

Maldonado is another first-timer in the Kentucky Derby. The veteran Southern California jockey has ridden Pavlovian for his last two starts, winning the Sunland Park Derby and finishing second by a head to Emerging Market in the Louisiana Derby (G2).

Atsuya Nishimura, Danon Bourbon

Nishimura also will make his first appearance in the Kentucky Derby. Danon Bourbon, a Maxfield colt, is 3-for-3, and Nishimura was aboard for his latest two starts, both of which he won by open lengths.

Irad Ortiz Jr., Renegade

Looking for his first Kentucky Derby win after nine tries, Ortiz opted to ride the possible favorite, Renegade, for trainer Todd Pletcher. He also was aboard Commandment, Fulleffort and Further Ado in impressive prep wins. Ortiz rode Renegade in four of his five starts, including a four-length win in the Arkansas Derby most recently. Ortiz has ridden the Kentucky Derby favorite only once, guiding Improbable to a fourth-place finish in 2019, his best showing in the run for the roses.

Jose Ortiz, Golden Tempo

Ortiz has had 10 Kentucky Derby starters and also is looking for his first win. He’s finished in the money twice, second with Good Magic in 2018 and third with Tacitus in 2019. Ortiz has ridden Golden Tempo in all four of his career starts, winning the Lecomte (G3) and finishing third in the Louisiana Derby and Risen Star (G2).

Flavien Prat, Emerging Market

Prat has finished in the money in six of his eight Kentucky Derby starts. He won by DQ with Country House in 2019, was second with Hot Rod Charlie in 2021 and his four third-place efforts include with Baeza last year and Angel of Empire in 2023. Prat has ridden Emerging Market for both of his career starts, winning his February debut and then the Louisiana Derby.

Luis Saez, Commandment

Saez's biggest Derby was in 2019, when he and Maximum Security led at every call and were 1 3/4 lengths clear when crossing the finish line first but were disqualified for interference to give Country House the win. His only in-the-money finish was with Essential Quality in 2021. The Derby will be his first start with Commandment, who was ridden by Prat to victory in the Florida Derby (G1). 

Ryusei Sakai, Wonder Dean

Sakai might be best known in the U.S. for riding Forever Young to a third-place finish in the 2024 run for the roses, his only Derby start, another third in that year's Breeders' Cup Classic and then a win in the 2025 Classic. They also won the Saudi Cup (G1) twice. This will be his first ride with Wonder Dean, winner of the UAE Derby (G2) last out.

Mike Smith, So Happy

Mike Smith's 28 Kentucky Derby mounts are the most for any jockey. He won it with Justify in 2018 and Giacomo in 2005. His most recent trip was a 12th-place finish with Taiba in 2022, though he was scheduled to ride Rodriguez last year before a scratch. Smith has ridden So Happy for each of his four starts, with wins in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and San Vicente (G2).

Cristian Torres, Silent Tactic

This will be the first Kentucky Derby start for Torres. He has ridden Silent Tactic in his last three starts, scoring in the Southwest (G3) and finishing second in the Rebel (G2) and Arkansas Derby.

Jaime Torres, Incredibolt

This also will be the first Derby start for Jaime Torres, no relation to Cristian. He won the 2024 Preakness with Seize the Grey. He has been aboard Incredibolt for each of his five starts, including a last-out win in the Virginia Derby and a victory in last year's Street Sense (G2). 

John Velazquez, Further Ado

Velazquez has the most Kentucky Derby wins of any rider in the field, taking home the roses with Animal Kingdom in 2011, Always Dreaming in 2017 and Authentic in 2020. He rode in the Derby for 18 consecutive years until missing the 2025 edition when his mount Grande was scratched. With Further Ado, Velazquez replaces regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr., who opted to ride Renegade.