Paladin, all of the sudden thrust into the highlight as a number one Kentucky Derby contender, headlines the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) on Saturday on the Honest Grounds.
Paladin was designated the 8-1 particular person favourite for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager when Churchill Downs set the chances for this weekend’s fourth pool. The KDFW challenges handicappers to pick the Derby winner nicely upfront of the primary Saturday in Could. At all times wager the KDFW with warning as many issues can, and infrequently do, go flawed for colts on the Triple Crown path. Take Ted Noffey for instance.
Final season’s 2-year-old champion was the person favourite within the first three swimming pools. Ted Noffey is now sidelined with bone bruising, taking him out of the Kentucky Derby image whereas additionally rendering all of the futures bets on him losers.
As common, the favourite within the pool is “all different 3-year-olds” at 4-1. That’s all the time an excellent hedge wager. Nonetheless, the newfound respect for Paladin makes the Risen Star a race to look at this weekend.
It’s additionally a key marker on the Highway to the Derby. The Risen Star is the primary race of the yr to supply 105 Derby qualifying factors with 50 factors going to the winner. That’s a fairly large leg up on a slot within the Derby beginning gate.
Paladin (the 8-5 morning-line favourite) is 2-for-2 in his temporary profession, though that report comes with an asterisk connected. He was elevated right into a victory in his debut when Renegade was disqualified for a bumping incident at Aqueduct in October.
These two squared off once more within the Large A’s Remsen Stakes (G2) in early December the place Paladin was a decisive two-length winner over Renegade.
Paladin was flattered when Renegade made his season debut a profitable one, taking the Sam F. Davis Stakes final weekend at Tampa Bay Downs.
Now it’s time for Paladin, a $1.9 million yearling buy, to launch his 2026 marketing campaign for coach Chad Brown. Paladin, who has been coaching in Florida, can have Tyler Gaffalione aboard for the primary time.
Paladin must be a outstanding tempo issue, a determined benefit in a race when the principle competitors will probably be far again early. Paladin has by no means been greater than three lengths behind within the pacesetter in both race. Search for that sample to proceed.
The principle competitors seems to be Golden Tempo (3-1), additionally an ideal 2-for-2, with each victories on the Honest Grounds. Maybe the house discipline benefit will probably be an equalizer.
Golden Tempo is a deep nearer who ought to love the 1 1/8 miles within the Risen Star. He was the last-to-first winner of the Lecomte Stakes (G3) final month and presents a 20-1 value within the KDFP.
Let’s spherical out our trifectas with High quality Mischief (10-1), one other late runner who must be choosing up the items within the lane.
Put up time for the Risen Star is 6:30 p.m. ET.
The picks: 1 Paladin 2 Golden Tempo 3 High quality Mischief
The sphere for the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2), from the rail out, with jockey, coach, odds:
1 Universe (Chris Elliott, Kenny McPeek), 8-1
2 Golden Tempo (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux), 3-1
3 Carson Avenue (Ben Curtis, Brendan Walsh), 8-1
4 Paladin (Tyler Gaffalione, Chad Brown), 8-5
5 Chip Honcho (Luis Saez, Steve Asmussen), 6-1
6 Colt Forty Seven (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux), 20-1
7 Courting (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher), 6-1
8 High quality Mischief (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox), 10-1
The writing group at US Racing is comprised of each full-time and part-time contributors with experience in numerous points of the Sport of Kings.
