The Derby Dispatch for Thursday, March 5, 2026

Mar 05, 2026

Click here for entire Derby Dispatch:The Derby Dispatch for Thursday, March 5, 2026

The Road to Kentucky Derby 152 continues this weekend with two key stops in the Championship Series as several prominent contenders launch their 3-year-old campaigns including Zedan Racing Stable’s Brant and Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado.

Saturday’s $200,000 San Felipe (Grade II) at Santa Anita and the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) will each award 50-25-15-10-5 qualifying points toward a berth in the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Positioned eight weeks from the Kentucky Derby, both races could serve as a penultimate prep for Derby contenders or, as in previous years, could be the final race before competing in Kentucky Derby 152.

Following the Tampa Bay Derby and San Felipe, only nine races remain on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series.

GRADE I WINNER BRANT RETURNS IN SATURDAY’S SAN FELIPE – Zedan Racing Stable’s Grade I winner Brant will make his seasonal debut against six rivals entered in Saturday’s $200,000 San Felipe (Grade II) at Santa Anita, part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series.

The San Felipe, which serves as the local prep to the $500,000 Santa Anita Derby (GI) on April 4, will go as Saturday’s eighth race with an approximate post time of 6:41 p.m. ET. Run at 1 1/16 miles, the San Felipe awards the top five finishers qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale toward the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) on Saturday, May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Brant, a record $3 million purchase at the 2025 OBS March Sale, scored a Grade I victory in the Sept. 7 Del Mar Futurity (GI) and then went on to finish third in the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI), beaten 1 ? lengths by Ted Noffey and Mr. A. P. Trained by nine-time San Felipe-winning trainer Bob Baffert, Brant has recorded six published workouts since returning from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, including a sharp six-furlong move in 1:11.80 under jockey Florent Geroux, who will ride Saturday from post No. 4.

Baffert also will saddle Speedway Stables’ debut winner Potente. A $2.4 million Fasig-Tipton August Sale purchase, Potente will be ridden by Juan Hernandez from post 5.

Baffert first win in the San Felipe came in 1999 with Perfect Timber. Since then he won the race with Point Given (2001); Preachinatthebar (2004); Pioneerof the Nile (2009); Dortmund (2015); Mastery (2017); Authentic (2020); Life Is Good (2021) and Imagination (2024).

Also entered in the race is Norman Stables and Saints Or Sinners’ undefeated So Happy. Trained by Mark Glatt, So Happy cruised to a two-length victory in the seven-furlong San Vicente (GII) while defeating the Baffert trained Buetane. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has the call from post 6.

The field for the San Felipe from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

+Flash Fritz (Adrian Escobedo, Dan Blacker)
Start the Ride (Armando Ayuso, Dan Blacker)
Secured Freedom (Kazushi Kimura, Tim Yakteen)
Brant (Geroux, Baffert)
Potente (Hernandez, Baffert)
So Happy (Smith, Glatt)
Robusta (Emisael Jaramillo, Doug O’Neill)
+ = Flash Fritz is not nominated to the Triple Crown but can become eligible for the series by his connections paying a $6,000 late nomination fee due Monday, April 6.

KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB WINNER FURTHER ADO RETURNS IN TAMPA BAY DERBY – Spendthrift Farm’s Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II) winner Further Ado is set to make his seasonal debut when he faces eight rivals in Saturday’s $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (GIII).

The 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby will go as Race 11 on Saturday’s card with a post time of 5:35 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on www.TwinSpires.com and catch the race live on Fox Sports 2 and FanDuel TV.

Further Ado, trained by Brad Cox, scored a 1 ?-length victory in the Nov. 29 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs to begin his Road to the Kentucky Derby. A son of Gun Runner, Further Ado has prepared for the Tampa Bay Derby in South Florida at Payson Park and recorded six published workouts since the beginning of the year.

“He’s really trained great over the surface here at Payson – he’s always been a good work horse,” Cox said. “We took him to Saratoga last year as a 2-year-old and started putting things together in the afternoon when he went around two turns. His works have been every bit as good leading up to this race on Saturday as they were last year. He’s an athletic colt and a good mover. We’re looking forward to getting his 3-year-old season going on Saturday.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call from post No. 6.

Ortiz is a two-time winner of the Tampa Bay Derby with victories in last year’s race on Owen Almighty and in 2022 aboard Classic Causeway.

Chief among Further Ado’s rivals is Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant and Brook T. Smith’s impressive debut winner Canaletto. Trained by Chad Brown, Canaletto scored a dominant eight-length victory in a Jan. 25 maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park. The son of Into Mischief will be ridden by Flavien Prat out of post 9.

Brown won the 2024 Tampa Bay Derby with Klaravich Stables’ Domestic Product and finished second in last year’s race with Chancer McPatrick.

The field for the Tampa Bay Derby from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

Redland Rebels (Junior Alvarado, Patrick Biancone)
Talkin (Joel Rosario, Danny Gargan)
Roger That Dana (Renzo Rojas, Luis Ramirez)
Hulkamania (Jareth Loveberry, Whit Beckman)
Powershift (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher)
Further Ado (Ortiz, Cox)
Thunder Buck (Samuel Marin, Brendan Walsh)
The Puma (Javier Castellano, Gustavo Delgado)
Canaletto (Prat, Brown)
HOW TO WATCH THE SAN FELIPE

FanDuel TV will provide live, on-site coverage
Watch and wager online with www.TwinSpires.com
HOW TO WATCH THE TAMPA BAY DERBY

“America’s Day at the Races” featuring the Tampa Bay Derby will air from 2-7 p.m. on FS2
Live, on-site coverage will be available on FanDuel TV
Watch and wager online with www.TwinSpires.com
KEY RACES TO WATCH TO WATCH – This weekend there are several races around the world that could have implications on the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. Here are some of the key races:

Saturday

TAM, R2 (12:45 p.m.), Mdn 60k, 3yo, 7 F (eight entries)
TAM, R11 (5:35 p.m.), $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (GIII), 3yo, 1 1/16 M (nine entries)
SA, R6 (5:36 p.m.), Mdn 70k, 3yo, 6 ? F (10 entries)
SA, R8 (6:41 p.m.), $200,000 San Felipe (GII), 3yo, 1 1/16 M (seven entries)
Sunday

SA, R8 (7:30 p.m.), $100,000 Santa Ysabel (GIII), 3yo f, 1 1/16 M (seven entries)
DOWN THE STRETCH – The Road to the Kentucky Oaks continues Sunday at Santa Anita with the $100,000 Santa Ysabel (GIII). The top five finishers will be awarded qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale toward the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) on Friday, May 1 at Churchill Downs. … The barn area at Churchill Downs is scheduled to open Tuesday, March 17 with the first day of training on Wednesday, March 18. … Danox Co. Ltd.’s undefeated 3-year-old Danon Bourbon is scheduled to run in the March 28 Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse, according to Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby liaison Kate Hunter. The only Japanese-based Road to the Kentucky Derby contenders who shipped to Dubai for the UAE Derby (GII) are those who competed in the Saudi Derby (GIII), according to Hunter. The Fukuryu Stakes is the final leg on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. … For the latest information about the Kentucky Derby and to purchase tickets, visit www.kentuckyderby.com.

UPCOMING ROAD TO KENTUCKY DERBY RACES

March 14 (seven weeks out) – $500,000 Virginia Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Colonial Downs (Top 5: 50-25-15-10-5)

Known possible starters (with trainer): Incredibolt (Riley Mott); Ocelli (Whit Beckman)

March 21 (six weeks out) – $1 million Louisiana Derby (GII), 1 3/16 miles, Fair Grounds (Top 5: 100-50-25-15-10)

Known possible starters (with trainer): Chip Honcho (Steve Asmussen); Emerging Market (Chad Brown) Golden Tempo (Cherie DeVaux)

March 21 (six weeks out) – $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII), 1 1/8 miles (Tapeta), Turfway Park (Top 5: 100-50-25-15-10)

Known possible starters (with trainer): Argos (Brad Cox); Fulleffort (Brad Cox); Great White (John Ennis); Greenwich Village (Bob Baffert); Stark Contrast (Michael McCarthy)

March 28 (five weeks out) – $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (GI), 1 1/8 miles, Oaklawn (Top 5: 100-50-25-15-10)

Known possible starters (with trainer): Blackout Time (Kenny McPeek); Express Kid (Justin Evans); Litmus Test (Bob Baffert); Renegade (Todd Pletcher); Silent Tactic (Mark Casse)

March 28 (five weeks out) – $1 million Florida Derby (GI), 1 1/8 miles, Gulfstream Park (Top 5: 100-50-25-15-10)

Known possible starters (with trainer): Chief Wallabee (Bill Mott); Commandment (Brad Cox); Nearly (Todd Pletcher); Wayne’s Law (Amador Sanchez)

April 4 (four weeks out) – $1.25 million Blue Grass (GI), 1 1/8 miles, Keeneland (Top 5: 100-50-25-15-10)

Known possible starters (with trainer): Great White (John Ennis); Paladin (Chad Brown); Reagan’s Honor (Cherie DeVaux)

April 4 (four weeks out) – $500,000 Santa Anita Derby (GI), 1 1/8 miles, Santa Anita (Top 5: 100-50-25-15-10)

Known possible starters (with trainer): Cherokee Nation (Bob Baffert); Intrepido (Jeff Mullins); Pavlovian (Doug O’Neill)

April 4 (four weeks out) – $750,000 Wood Memorial (GII), 1 1/8 miles, Aqueduct (Top 5: 100-50-25-15-10)

Known possible starters (with trainer): Bravaro (Saffie Joseph Jr.); Ottinho (Chad Brown); Napoleon Solo (Chad Summers); Red Zone Runner (Hugo Padilla); Talk to Me Jimmy (Rudy Rodriguez)

April 11 (three weeks out) – $400,000 Lexington (GIII), 1 1/16 miles, Keeneland (Top 5: 20-10-6-4-2)

Note: The possible fields for upcoming Kentucky Derby Championship Series races are fluid as owners and trainers vie for points. Known possible horses mentioned to be under consideration for each race are based on published news reports and other sources. Horses listed in italics are possible for multiple races.