Triple Crown Trail: Paladin earns second prep race win
Adds Risen Star score to earlier Remsen win
The Biz
February 15, 2026
Remsen winner Paladin added another prep score with a late surge to edge Chip Honcho by a half-length in the Grade 2 $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, earning 50 qualifying points and taking the Road to the Kentucky Derby lead with 60.
Owned by John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant, Brook Smith, and Summer Wind Equine, the colt is trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, who also captured the Rachel Alexandra earlier on the card. Paladin tracked the pace, pressed on the turn, and wore down the leader in the final strides, finishing 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.14.
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Golden Tempo rallied for third, followed by Universe and Carson Street. Sent off odds-on, Paladin paid $3.40 and remains unbeaten in three starts with $484,250 earned.
Fair Grounds’ final Derby prep is the Grade 2 TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby March 2.
[CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RACE]
KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS TOP 10
| RANK | HORSE | OWNER | TRAINER | POINTS |
| 1 | Paladin | Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter M. Brant, Brook T. Smith & Summer Wind Equine LLC | Chad Brown | 60 |
| 2 | Chip Honcho | Leland Ackerley Racing LLC | Steven M. Asmussen | 39 |
| 3 | Golden Tempo | Phipps Stable (Daisy Phipps Pulito) & St. Elias Stable (Vincent Viola) | Cherie DeVaux | 35 |
| 4 | Silent Tactic | John C. Oxley | Mark E. Casse | 25 |
| 5 | Renegade | Robert & Lawana L. Row & Repole Stable (Mike Repole) | Todd A. Pletcher | 25 |
| 6 | Intrepido | Dutch Girl Holdings LLC & Irving Ventures LLC | Jeff Mullins | 23 |
| 7 | Plutarch | Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor & Derrick Smith | Bob Baffert | 23 |
| 8 | Universe | 4 G Racing LLC (Brent Gasaway), Gregg Day, Steven Crain & Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek) | Kenneth G. McPeek | 23 |
| 9 | Nearly | Centennial Farms (Donald Little) | Todd A. Pletcher | 20 |
| 10 | Talk to Me Jimmy | SEI Thoroughbreds & Rudy R. Rodriguez | Rudy Rodriguez | 20 |
KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS RACES REPLAYS
(Click on each line to see the replay)
- Smarty Jones S. – Strategic Risk
- Jerome S. – My World
- Lecomte S. – Golden Tempo
- Southwest S. – Silent Tactic
- Holy Bull S. – Nearly
- Robert B. Lewis S. – Plutarch
- Withers S. – Talk to Me Jimmy
- Sam F. Davis S. – Renegade
- UAE 2000 Guineas – Six Speed
- Risen Star S. – Paladin
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