DEL MAR, Calif. – Last December, when he attended the Global Symposium on Racing in Arizona, trainer Todd Pletcher remembers telling fellow Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert that he was light on 3-year-olds for the 2025 spring classics.
Pletcher proved prophetic as he missed his first Kentucky Derby in 21 years and ran longshots in both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
“Definitely, the cupboard was pretty bare this time last year,” Pletcher said.
Well, Pletcher will go into 2026 with a big chance to return to the Kentucky Derby with a division led by the undefeated likely 2-year-old champion colt Ted Noffey.
Ted Noffey wrapped up an undefeated 2-year-old campaign with a one-length victory in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, his fourth victory from as many starts this year and third in a Grade 1. He should be a unanimous choice for 2-year-old champion male and will go into the new year as the winter-book favorite for the Kentucky Derby next May.
ON SALE NOW: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages! Get everything you need to win and save big.
Ted Noffey, a son of Into Mischief owned by Spendthrift Farm, is the fifth BC Juvenile winner for Pletcher, a group that includes Shanghai Bobby and Uncle Mo, both of whom were undefeated 2-year-olds, but who did not make it to the Kentucky Derby for various reasons.
Pletcher believes Ted Noffey is a horse that could handle the 1 1/4 miles of the Derby.
“He certainly gives you every impression that that's not going to be a problem, particularly the way you watch him finish his races and the way he's galloped out,” Pletcher said. “He's always trained as though he would handle added distance. So far, he's handled as far as we've needed to run him. I think we definitely go into the fall and winter with, hopefully, a Classic campaign in mind.”
Ted Noffey, ridden by John Velazquez, got basically the same stalking trip in the Juvenile as he did in the Breeders’ Futurity and Hopeful – Grade 1 stakes he won earlier in the year. He ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.25 and earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure.
“When you’re shipping cross-country and you come to Del Mar and you run against Bob Baffert’s best colts it's tough, it’s a road game,” Pletcher said. “You got to have a really good horse to do that.”
Pletcher said Ted Noffey came out of the Juvenile in good order and would ultimately be shipped to his winter base at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida. Pletcher said the March 28 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park is one of two races Ted Noffey would have before, hopefully, a start in the Kentucky Derby. Pletcher said his initial instinct is to have Ted Noffey make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 3, $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream on Jan. 31.
Pletcher hopes to have a solid supporting cast of 3-year-olds in 2026 to try and campaign down the Derby and Oaks trails. Renegade, disqualified from a maiden win at Aqueduct on Oct. 17, is pointing to the Remsen at Aqueduct on Dec. 6. Courting, the $5 million yearling purchase and a full sister to Grade 1 winner Clairiere who finished fourth in his debut, is likely for a two-turn maiden race.
Meanwhile, BC Juvenile runner-up Mr. A. P. will get a break on a farm in California before being given a chance to jump on the Derby trail in 2026, according to trainer Vladimir Cerin.
“One thing at a time, he gets his rest first, let’s see how he comes back,” Cerin said. “Obviously, from yesterday’s performance that is our goal.”
Mr. A. P., claimed in July for $150,000 by Cerin for David and Holly Wilson, was an up close third under Antonio Fresu in the Juvenile. While he was able to get by Brant, he couldn’t reel in Ted Noffey.
“I thought it was pretty good, I don’t think he gets by the winner even if we go farther, but on the other hand, he ran against the track bias yesterday,” Cerin said. “Very few horses changed positions turning for home on the dirt anyway.”
Trainer Bob Baffert said Brant and Litmus Test, third and fourth, respectively, in the Juvenile, both came back well. Baffert had no immediate plans for either colt moving forward.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.