If Hugo Padilla claimed that the sky was falling before the $75,000 City of Brotherly Love Stakes at Parx Racing on Tuesday, one might be inclined to believe him.

The confidence with which the trainer spoke of Red Zone Runner ahead of his 3-year-old debut suggested all but absolute certainty in the colt’s prospects. Even then, he wasn’t prepared for the final result.

“I thought he was good, but not that good,” Padilla said. “He really impressed everybody.”

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Class President likely locked up a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby on Sunday when he fought for a nose win over Silent Tactic in the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel at Oaklawn Park.

It was another 5 1/4 lengths back in third to favorite Litmus Test.

The Rebel rewarded its winner with 50 points for the Kentucky Derby. The prep was showcased on a 12-race card run under clear skies and temperatures in the 70s. The attendance ontrack was an estimated 29,000, according to Oaklawn.  

Trainer Chad Brown believes there’s more than meets the eye to Iron Honor after he had to work harder than expected to beat an Ohio-bred stakes winner in Saturday’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – If the rest of the run-up to the 2026 Kentucky Derby is as exciting as Saturday’s $425,000 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park, it’s going to be a very fun spring. 

The filly Blanc de Blanc maintained her perfect record after two starts with a three-length win in Friday’s $47,200 Patton Race at Dundalk Racecourse in Ireland, part of the European-Middle East Kentucky Derby qualifying series.

Ridden by Donagh O’Connor, Blanc de Blanc stalked stablemate Flanker Jet before taking the lead with more than a furlong remaining in the one-mile race.

Blanc De Blanc was not urged in the final strides. She paid $5.40 as the favorite in American pools in a field of nine.

Plutarch, winner of the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita, is off the Kentucky Derby trail, trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday afternoon.

Baffert said Plutarch came out of his win “a little body sore. I just backed off him a little bit. He’s very immature. The timing is bad. I need an extra 30 days.”

Baffert said Plutarch will remain with him at Santa Anita and remain in light training.

“He’s still in light training, but I’m not going to make the Derby with him,” Baffert said.

Hidden Force remained unbeaten after two starts with a comfortable win in Wednesday’s $81,000 European Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes at Kempton Park in England.

The one-mile race is part of the European-Middle East qualifying division for the Kentucky Derby. Hidden Force earned 20 qualifying points, and currently is tied for second in the standings.

The European-Middle East division encompasses 10 races, beginning last September through late March. The series concludes with the Group 2 United Arab Emirates Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 28.