The action in the Blue Grass State heads west to Louisville on Sunday where the 2026 Fall Meeting kicks off at Churchill Downs. The 24-day stand runs through November 29 with racing shifting to Keeneland next Friday and Saturday for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
As always, the two-year-olds take center stage on the first day of the Fall Meet for the annual Stars of Tomorrow I slate. All juveniles, all the time headlined by the start of the 2027 Road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks. Here are a few horses I like most on a great day for those who enjoy handicapping young ponies.
Race 3:
My first play of the meet comes in this auction-restricted MSW event at six-furlongs over the main track where I like second-time starter #4 Karajan. The son of Hard Spun debuted over this oval in mid-June where he got caught up along the inside in an early battle on the front end before tiring late. Trainer Dale Romans gave the colt a few months to recover after the failed run to kick off his career and has six local works into him heading into career try number two. Romans calls on Flavien Prat this time around suggesting the veteran conditioner turned politician likes the chances of his trainee. I too am expecting a big run from the Delia Nash homebred.
Play: #4 Karajan (4-1 ML)
Picks: 4-5-1
Race 5:
I move to the grass for my next play on the Stars of Tomorrow I card where I landed on #4 The King of Soccer. The Brendan Walsh trainee returns to the races for his second lifetime start after a fifth-place finish to kick off his career on September 24. The son of Starspangledbanner showed solid speed from the gate and found a comfortable pocket spot throughout in his debut, but never found clear sailing under jockey Tyler Gaffalione. Perhaps, he lacked the needed punch to fit through a hole, but regardless The King of Soccer secures another favorable post position, which should allow him to find a prominent, ground saving spot throughout. This time I expect him to finish with more energy.
Play: #4 The King of Soccer (6-1 ML)
Picks: 4-2-6
Race 10: Street Sense (G3)
Ten points goes to the winner on the 2027 Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard in this 1 1/16-mile event over the main track where it looks like a three-horse race on paper. #3 Card Man and #4 Mystik Bayou both compete at Churchill Downs for the first time after wins at the newly renovated Belmont Park and have big chances. That said, #7 Staunch is the runner that is likely to offer the best value. The $300k EAS May ’26 purchase showed a strong turn of foot late in his six-furlong debut at Ellis Park before taking advantage of a perfect inside/out trip to break his maiden over the one-turn mile configuration in Louisville in late September. I loved the professionalism he showed that day and the energy he had left after the wire. He appears a solid gamble at his 5-1-ML offering with Tyler Gaffalione back onboard the Brendan Walsh runner.
Play: #7 Staunch (5-1 ML)
Picks: 7-4-3
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