2026 Kentucky Derby contender

It can be hazardous to one's betting bankroll to drink the hype-flavored Kool-Aid that flows freely when an undefeated sophomore with limited experience wins a nine-furlong prep for the GI Kentucky Derby in eye-catching fashion. Yet despite the well-documented risks against backing horses who have made only two lifetime starts prior to the first Saturday in May, Emerging Market just might be the type of real-deal, rapidly rising phenom to convince me to saunter over to the punch bowl and try a sip. In the case of this ''TDN Rising...

Although Cherie DeVaux sent out the first and second choices in the wagering, the trainer knew that her horses had something to prove in Saturday's GIII Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds. Both Golden Tempo (Curlin) and Mesquite (Union Rags) had done nothing more than win maiden races and both seemed to be horses that still needed time to mature and develop. That may still be the case. But after Golden Tempo and Mesquite ran one-two, with Golden Tempo winning by three-quarters of a length, DeVaux knows she has two...