Correll’s Corner: The gate is full

Posted On 06 Apr 2026

Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview —-

The gate is full

TRINITY, Fla. – Further Ado and Ottinho earned enough points in the Blue Grass at Keeneland on April 4th to get spots in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Further Ado freaked and won by a large margin just like he did last fall at Keeneland, so you might take that into consideration when handicapping him for the Derby. In other words, the colt likes Keeneland.

In the last Wood Memorial that will be run at Aqueduct, Albus and Ocelli finished 1-2 and Albus is headed for the Derby. Ocelli is sitting on the bubble, although he has 50 points.

Both colts went off as long-shots, so that may tell you something about the quality of the field.

So Happy and Potente picked up the points they needed in the Santa Anita Derby and will be heading to Louisville for the Derby. Potente pressed the pace and paid for it late as So Happy ran him down in the stretch.

Below are the colts that are in the starting gate as of April 7. Of course, there will be defections and the next colts in line will be added at that time. They will be listed in order of points won and 17 positions will be filled by colts that raced in the United States. The last three will go to colts that raced on the Euro/Mideast Road and the Japan Road to the Derby.

Commandment (Into Mischief) won the Florida Derby. Brad Cox. (150 points)

Further Ado (Gun Runner) won the Blue Grass. Brad Cox. (135)

Renegade (Into Mischief) won the Arkansas Derby. Todd Pletcher. (125)

So Happy (Runhappy) won the Santa Anita Derby. Mark Glatt. (115)

Fulleffort (Liam’s Map) won the Jeff Ruby at Turfway. Brad Cox. (110)

The Puma (Essential Quality) was second in the Florida Derby. Gustavo Delgado. (106)

Silent Tactic (Tacitus) was second in the Arkansas Derby. Mark Casse. (100)

Emerging Market (Candy Ride) won the Louisiana Derby. Chad Brown. (100)

Albus (Yaupon) won the Wood Memorial. Riley Mott. (100)

Potente (Into Mischief) was second in Santa Anita Derby. Bob Baffert. (100)

Pavlovian (Pavel) was second in Louisiana Derby. Doug O’Neill. (70)

Right to Party (Constitution) was second in Wood Memorial. Ken McPeak. (65)