18Madaket Road

Who is Kentucky Derby horse Madaket Road?

Madaket Road, a gray/roan colt by Quality Road out of Frolic's Dream (by Smoke Glacken), has emerged as a serious Kentucky Derby contender under trainer Bob Baffert. His current form shows steady progression through five career starts, compiling a record of 1-2-1 with earnings of $326,000.

The colt's running style has evolved from a pace-pressing position in shorter races to showing the ability to rate and make sustained moves in route races. His most recent effort in the Florida Derby (1 1/8 miles) demonstrated both his tactical speed and stamina, as he set the pace before finishing fourth, beaten 5.5 lengths. Prior to that, he showed improvement stretching out to two turns with a strong second in the Rebel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

Regarding his Kentucky Derby distance potential, his pedigree suggests he should handle 1 1/4 miles. His sire Quality Road has produced multiple Grade 1 winners at classic distances, while his female family adds a blend of speed through Smoke Glacken. His recent workouts at Santa Anita have been consistently strong, including a bullet 4-furlong move in :46.40 on March 16.

Class-wise, Madaket Road has faced and been competitive against top-tier competition in graded stakes company, showing the quality needed for the Derby trail. His progression in terms of distance and class level, combined with his tactical speed and stamina-oriented pedigree, makes him an intriguing prospect for the Kentucky Derby's classic distance.