Fairgrounds Racetrack & Slots Inc. in New Orleans, Louisiana, has announced the contenders for the Road to the Derby Kickoff Day, headlined by the fifth running of the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes. This event, set for Saturday, December 20th, drew 21 nominations for 2-year-old colts competing over 1 1/16 miles. The Gun Runner Stakes marks the first local race on the path to the 2026 Kentucky Derby, awarding points of 10-5-3-2-1 to the top five finishers. Trainer Brad Cox leads with five horses in the field, including Gary and Mary West’s Rancho Santa Fe and Twin Creeks Racing Stable’s White Tiger. Ken McPeak has four entries, notably Universe from 4G Racing, Greg Day, Stephen Crane, and Magdalena Racing, currently fourth on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 13 points.
Other notable participants in the Gun Runner Stakes include Mesquite (trained by Shelley Deveau); Liberty Balance and Stop the Car (trained by Brendan Walsh); Chip Honcho (trained by Steve Asmussen); and Oscar’s Hope and Big Dom (trained by Tom Amos).
The fifth running of the Untapable Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 1 mile and 70 yards features 17 contenders, offering 10-5-3-2-1 points toward the Kentucky Oaks. Key fillies include Taken by the Wind, a Pocahontas G3 winner and one of three Mack Peak-trained horses, along with Life of Joy, a Rags to Riches winner among four entrants trained by Cox.
The 20th annual Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes, a turf race over 1 1/16 miles for horses aged 3 and up, attracted 22 nominees. Standouts include Flying Mohawk (Whit Beckman); Gigante and Raginos (Asmussen); and Legalize and Northern Invader (DeVaux).
The 61st Tenacious Stakes, also over 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds and older, gathered 20 nominations. Featured runners include Just Attach (Cox); Lord Greylind (McPeak); Stowaway (Beckman); Not This Boy (Doug Cowans); Memories of Komorebi (Robertino Diodoro); and Otello (Miguel Clement).
The fields for all four races will be drawn on Saturday, December 13th, a week before race day. Detailed candidate lists and past performances can be found on Equibase at https://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbHorsemenAreaSNHW.cfm?trk=FG.
Fan Take: This announcement is hugely exciting for horse racing fans as it shines a spotlight on emerging young talent that could shape the upcoming Kentucky Derby and Oaks. Watching these promising contenders battle it out early on sets the stage for thrilling competition and fresh narratives in the sport.
