Weekend guide: Preview of Ky. Derby draw + Saturday stakes

A full week before it is run, Kentucky Derby 2026 outshines everything else on the racing calendar when entries are taken and post positions are drawn Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Renegade, who won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby by four lengths last month, is expected to be made the favorite by the track’s new morning-line writer Nick Tammaro. The Into Mischief colt owned by Robert and Lawana Low and Mike Repole is the consensus 7-2 top choice in Las Vegas futures.

It figures to be the third time in four years that Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has looked after the morning-line favorite. Fierceness, who was 5-2 in the program and 3-1 at post time, finished 15th in 2024. Forte, who was 3-1 on the line, was a race-day scratch after being diagnosed with a bruised foot.

Instead of a nighttime pill pull, the Derby draw is scheduled for mid-afternoon in Louisville, Ky., at the Churchill Downs paddock. The Kentucky Oaks (G1), which will be run Friday night, gets filled first at 2:15 p.m. EDT. The field for the 152nd Kentucky Derby will be drawn at 2:30 p.m.

The draws will be shown live on FanDuel TV and on the Kentucky Derby’s Facebook, X and YouTube pages.

Saturday stakes

It is opening day for the Churchill Downs spring meet. The Roxelana Stakes for older fillies and mares going six furlongs is the feature race. Five-year-old One Magic Philly, who comes off trainer Brendan Walsh’s bench after a three-month break, is the 5-2 program favorite. The Roxelana is the ninth of 10 races on the card, and it is scheduled to start at 5:46 p.m. EDT.

The Royal Heroine (G3), a two-turn turf mile for older fillies and mares, is the only graded stakes on Saturday’s calendar. Five-year-old Grand Slam Smile, who won a California-bred stakes last month for trainer Sean McCarthy, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite drawn widest in the field of nine. The finale on a nine-race card at Santa Anita, the Royal Heroine is set to go at 8:09 p.m. EDT.

Also for fillies and mares who are at least 4 years old, the Dig A Diamond is the Saturday feature at Oaklawn. Standoutsensation, another 5-year-old, is the 2-1 favorite for Kinnon LaRose, who took over the stable from retiring trainer Tom Amoss. The two-turn mile worth $200,000 is carded as the 10th of 11 races with a scheduled post time of 6:46 p.m. EDT.

All these stakes will be shown live on FanDuel TV. In addition to steady coverage on the New York Racing Association YouTube channel, “America’s Day at the Races” will have live coverage from Oaklawn from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT on FS2 and then 6-7:30 on FS1.

Free past performances for the Roxelana are provided by Brisnet.

Horse Racing Nation handicappers

Super Screener creator Mike Shutty warns bettors against the five mistakes they make too often in playing the Kentucky Derby. He also has his tips for Saturday’s Roxelana Stakes at Churchill Downs. Shutty, trainer Riley Mott and National Thoroughbred Racing Association chief operating officer Keith Chamblin are guests on the regular Friday offering of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

A special pop-up episode of the RFRP will be posted Saturday night featuring hard-core handicappers Caton Bredar, Ed DeRosa and Mark Midland going over every horse in the Kentucky Derby field.

Shutty has advice for betting the Royal Heroine with an emphasis on some big prices. It is part of this week’s Super Screener presentation.

Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman go over the leading contenders in the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. The details are part of this week’s HorseCenter.

Reserve your copy of the Kentucky Derby Super Screener plus the whole Triple Crown now.