Nine of the horses that will step into the starting gate May 2 in the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs are graduates of BloodHorse's Maiden Watch.
The 4-1 morning-line favorite, Renegade, leads the way. The Todd Pletcher trainee did not earn his first victory in a traditional maiden special weight. While he did cross the line first in front of Paladin in a maiden race in October, he was disqualified to second for interference in the stretch run. This still gave his connections enough confidence to run him in stakes company, and he earned his maiden victory Feb. 7 in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. The son of Into Mischief is out of grade 3 winner Spice Is Nice, and was purchased at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $975,000 by Repole Stable, which co-owns the colt with his breeders Robert and Lawana Low.
The Brad Cox trainee Further Ado broke his maiden in runaway fashion. After losing his first two starts, the son of Gun Runner entered the gate Oct. 10 at Keeneland and demolished the field by 20 lengths. He is a half brother to grade 2 winner Kimbear, and was purchased at the 2025 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale for $550,000 by his owner Spendthrift Farm. He is the winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), a race in which he once again opened up on the field, and is expected to be a top-three betting choice come Derby time.
Cox's other two entries, Commandment and Fulleffort, also met BloodHorse's Maiden Watch criteria, which is 2- and 3-year-old maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings who are graded/group winners, or have dams who are graded/group winners.
Commandment broke his maiden in his second start, scoring by 5 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs. Owned by Wathnan Racing, he is by perennial leading sire Into Mischief and is out of the grade 1 winner Sippican Harbor. The Florida Derby (G1) winner, a $500,000 yearling purchase, is expected to be among the favorites in the betting pool by the time the Kentucky Derby goes off.
A son of Liam's Map , Fulleffort earned his maiden victory Sep. 10 at Kentucky Downs. The half brother to the grade 1-winning Power Squeeze will be making his first start on dirt in the Kentucky Derby. He is owned by St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing.
The "late bloomer" of the bunch is Pin Oak Stud's Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) winner Albus, who broke his maiden Feb. 27 at Tampa Bay Downs. The Riley Mott-trained colt is a half brother to grade 3 winner Song of Spring. He is one of two entered for owner Pin Oak Stud, which also will send Incredibolt into the starting gate.
| BloodHorse Maiden Watch | ||||
| Previous Maiden Watch 2- and 3-year-old maiden winners that are entered in the May 2 Kentucky Derby (G1) | ||||
| Horse | Date/Track of Maiden Win | Sire | Dam | Maiden Watch Eligibility Criteria |
| Fulleffort | Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs | Liam's Map | Callmethesqueeze | Half brother to G1W Power Squeeze |
| Further Ado | Oct. 10 at Keeneland | Gun Runner | Sky Dreamer | $550,000 2-year-old purchase, half brother to G2W Kimbear |
| Litmus Test | Aug. 16 at Del Mar | Nyquist | Study Hard | $875,000 yearling purchase |
| Renegade | Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs | Into Mischief | Spice Is Nice | Out of a G3W, $975,000 yearling purchase |
| Commandment | Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs | Into Mischief | Sippican Harbor | Out of a G1W, $500,000 yearling purchase |
| Silent Tactic | Oct. 10 at Woodbine | Tacitus | Magical Sign | $500,000 2-year-old purchase |
| Albus | Feb. 27 at Tampa Bay Downs | Yaupon | Adream | Half brother to G3W Song of Spring |
| Golden Tempo | Dec. 20 at Fair Grounds Race Course | Curlin | Carrumba | Out of a G3W |
| Potente | Jan. 31 at Santa Anita Park | Into Mischief | Sweet Sting | $2.4 million yearling purchase |
