Baffert's Desert Gate Headlines Grade 3 Indiana Derby Field

The 32nd running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby (Race 12) has attracted nine 3-year-olds for this Saturday, July 11, at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Indiana. It will be the highlight of eight stakes races with six-figure purses on the 13-race card.

Also on tap is the sister race for 3-year-old fillies July 11, the $200,000, Grade 3 Indiana Oaks, Race 11 with a scheduled post time of 5:55 p.m.

2026 Indiana Derby Field & Odds

Race 12 at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Saturday, July 11 - Post 6:40 PM

Entry	Horse	ML Odds	Jockey	Trainer
1	Lighter	20-1	Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. 118 Lbs	Rodolphe Brisset
2	Mister T	30-1	Mitchell Murrill 118 Lbs	Justin Bailey
3	Zihnal	12-1	Umberto Rispoli 118 Lbs	Jonathan Thomas
4	Our Moneyman	4-1	Axel Concepcion 118 Lbs	W. Calhoun
5	Bricklin	8-1	Fernando De La Cruz 124 Lbs	Rodolphe Brisset
6	Creole Chrome	6-1	Junior Alvarado 118 Lbs	Joe Sharp
7	Out of the Woods	9-2	Luis Saez 124 Lbs	Philip D'Amato
8	Leading Change	5-1	Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Lbs	Brad Cox
9	Desert Gate	5-2	Florent Geroux 124 Lbs	Bob Baffert

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"We are thrilled with the entries we have for Indiana Derby Day," said Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing at the Shelbyville, Ind., track. "This is our biggest stage of the year, and to be able to showcase the talent of horses that have entered our races to our racing base is superb."

Racing on the big day begins at 12 p.m. ET leading up to the richest race in the state of Indiana with a post time of 6:40 p.m.

The Indiana Derby field is headlined by Desert Gate from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's barn. The son of Omaha Beach, owned in part by Indiana native Mike Pegram with Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, has won two of four starts this season.

The $260,000 purchase from the Ocala Breeders' Sale last March comes into the race following a fourth-place finish in the G3 Ohio Derby. Florent Geroux, a three-time Indiana Derby winning jockey, is set to ride Desert Gate from the outside post nine. Baffert is a four-time winning Indiana Derby trainer, including Cupid, winner of the 2016 event.

Joining Desert Gate in the Indiana Derby field is Our Moneyman from the Bret Calhoun barn. The son of 2019 Indiana Derby winner Mr. Money has drawn post four for Allied Racing Stable, owned by Chester Thomas. He comes into the race off a second-place finish in the G3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs in early June. Axel Concepcion, who has been aboard for all eight career starts, comes in to ride seeking to add to the colt's $332,000 career bankroll.

A horse who is a bit of an unknown in his career is Leading Change from the Brad Cox barn. The Gun Runner colt, owned by Wathnan Racing, was an $800,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland September Sale and was unraced last year at two. Irad Ortiz Jr. comes in to ride Leading Change from post eight for his first test among stakes contenders in the Indiana Derby. Leading Change is a half brother to the standout mare Shedaresthedevil, a winner of more than $2.7 million for the Cox barn and a winner of the G3 Indiana Oaks in 2020.

Locally, Mister T, last year's top Indiana 2-year-old, will try his luck in the race from post two. Ridden by Mitchell Murrill for trainer and blacksmith Justin Bailey of Greenwood, Ind., the son of Sahara Sky has only two starts this year and comes into the race off a second-place finish in the $100,000 Sagamore Sired Handicap for Baileyboy Racing. The Indiana-sired homebred colt is three for six lifetime.

The entire Indiana Derby field, with jockeys, in post position order includes: Lighter (Marcelino Pedroza Jr.), Mister T (Mitchell Murrill); Zihnal (Umberto Rispoli), Our Moneyman (Axel Concepcion); Bricklin (Fernando De La Cruz); Creole Chrome (Junior Alvarado); Out of the Woods (Luis Saez); Leading Change (Irad Ortiz Jr.); and Desert Gate (Florent Geroux).

First held in 1995, the Indiana Derby has been won by some horse-racing heavyweights throughout the years, including Orientate (2001), who would go on to champion sprinter honors the following year; Grade 1 winner Perfect Drift (2002), a career earner of more than $4.7 million; Brass Hat (2004), a Grade 1 winner and $2.1 million career earner; and two-time champion Lookin At Lucky (2010).

Indiana Oaks - Grade 3

Joining the Indiana Derby is the 31st running of the G3 Indiana Oaks. A field of six is led by Mizumi from the Baffert barn. The Justify filly is a homebred for Charles and Susan Chu and is a perfect two for two this season, including a win in the G3 Summertime Oaks in her last start at Santa Anita.

Mizumi will be accompanied by Jockey Florent Geroux and has drawn post six for the race slated just before the Indiana Derby as Race 11 with a post time of 5:55 p.m.

2026 Indiana Oaks Field & Odds

Race 11 at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Saturday, July 11 - Post 5:55 PM

Entry	Horse	ML Odds	Jockey	Trainer
1	Star Actress	8-1	Junior Alvarado 118 Lbs	William Mott
2	Nahla	6-1	Fernando De La Cruz 118 Lbs	Brad Cox
3	Maximum Offer	7-2	Luis Saez 124 Lbs	Kenneth McPeek
4	Betty's Pearl	9-2	Mario Gutierrez 124 Lbs	Brian Lynch
5	Prom Queen	9-5	Irad Ortiz, Jr. 124 Lbs	Brad Cox
6	Mizumi	3-1	Florent Geroux 124 Lbs	Bob Baffert

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A total of eight stakes have been carded for Indiana Derby Day beginning in Race 5. More than $1.27 million in purse money is slated for the afternoon.

The 24th season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse extends through Friday, November 13. The days events will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and will be complemented by a large array of activities.

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2026 Indiana Derby Gets 29 Nominations Including Ocelli

July 1 - Nominations are in for the 32nd running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby set to run Saturday, July 11 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. A total of 29 names are on the nomination list headed by third-place finisher Ocelli in this year's Kentucky Derby. Seven starters from the first leg of the Triple Crown can be found on the nomination list for Indiana's richest horse race, which heads up a program featuring purses in excess of $1.1 million.

After finishing third in the Kentucky Derby, Ocelli tried his luck in the second leg of the Triple Crown, finishing fourth in the Preakness. His last start was a second-place finish in the G3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown in mid-June. Tyler Gaffalione has been consistently riding the son of Connect for trainer D. Whitworth Beckman. He may be the richest maiden ever, seeking his first career win with more than $829,000 in career earnings.

Joining Ocelli searching for a win in the G3 $300,000 Indiana Derby is Our Moneyman, who has a unique twist for his quest of the Indiana title. The 3-year-old is a son of Mr Money, 2019 Indiana Derby winner for the same connections. Trained by Bret Calhoun and owned by Allied Racing Stable, Our Moneyman comes into the Indiana Derby off a second-place finish in the G3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs in early June. Axel Concepcion has ridden him in all eight of his career starts. He has never finished worse than third in those outings with a career bankroll of more than $332,000.

Incredibolt from the Riley Mott Stable is also on the nomination list. After finishing sixth in the Kentucky Derby, the Bolt d'Oro colt traveled to the Preakness at Laurel in Maryland, where he finished fifth. He has not started since that outing for Mott and Jaime Torres, who has ridden him in all seven of his career starts.

Joining the G3 Indiana Derby will be the 31st running of the G3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks, Indiana's first Graded Stakes race. The richest filly on the list is Search Party, who competed in the Kentucky Oaks in her last start. The Gun Runner daughter earned the lion's share of her bankroll with a second-place finish in the G2 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park prior to the Kentucky Oaks. She hails from the Mark Casse Stable with more than a half-million on her card.

Two undefeated and lightly raced fillies are on the list, including speedster La Rascasse from the William Walden barn. The Maxfield filly was unraced last year at two and broke her maiden at Keeneland before winning the $175,000 Monomoy Girl Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs in mid-June.

Mizumi is in a similar category with La Rascasse as an unraced 2-year-old. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the Justify daughter has won both of her starts at Santa Anita this year, including her last outing in the G3 Summer Oaks Stakes.

The G3 Indiana Derby and Oaks will headline a full day of racing beginning at 12 p.m. Saturday, July 11 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. A total of eight premier races are on the card, which has become Central Indiana's biggest summer sporting event, highlighting the 2026 racing season at Horseshoe Indianapolis.