The Triple Crown trail continued to take shape as the road to the Run for the Roses continued this past weekend. Two major Kentucky Derby (G1) preps took place, with both races’ winners being sons of Into Mischief out of daughters of Curlin.

Plutarch gives Bob Baffert another Robert B. Lewis Stakes victory

On Feb. 7, Plutarch, named for the notable Roman historian, etched his place into the firmament with a triumph in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park. Plutarch defeated Intrepido—a paternal grandson of Into Mischief out of a granddaughter of Curlin’s sire Smart Strike—by three-quarters of a length. In the process, he gave his trainer, Bob Baffert, his fourteenth victory in the race, named for the late owner who campaigned many of Baffert’s best horses, including Silver Charm. Plutarch broke his maiden last time out at Del Mar, storming home first by 4 ½ lengths in a Nov. 30 maiden special weight.

Plutarch’s pedigree adds even more depth to his Derby profile

A seven-time leading general sire, matching the number of titles held by the legendary Bold Ruler, Into Mischief got his third Derby winner last year with Sovereignty. Plutarch is out of 2015 champion sophomore filly Stellar Wind, a daughter of leading runner and sire Curlin; at the 2017 Keeneland November sale, the Virginia-bred mare sold for $6 million to Coolmore Stud’s M.V. Magnier. Grade 1-placed at two, Plutarch races for the legendary partnership of Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael B. Tabor.

Renegade and Silent Tactic strengthen an evolving Kentucky Derby picture

Also on Feb. 7, the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs went to Renegade. A homebred for Robert and Lawana Low who’s also co-owned by Mike Repole, the bay colt broke his maiden in his stakes debut. Favored at odds of 1.20-1, Renegade is now a prime Derby contender for trainer Todd Pletcher. In terms of other Derby prep races, Silent Tactic, third last time out in the Jan. 3 Smarty Jones Stakes, took the Feb. 6 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park. This race recently produced 2024 Derby winner Mystik Dan and 2004 winner Smarty Jones, so Silent Tactic is in good standing. A son of classic-placed multiple graded stakes winner Tacitus (a son of classic sire Tapit), Silent Tactic is out of a granddaughter of a full sister to Malibu Moon, sire of 2013 Derby winner Orb.

Splendora and Nitrogen return in style with statement wins

A pair of fabulous fillies also made their seasonal debuts. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) victress Splendora won the Feb. 7 D. Wayne Lukas Stakes (G2), named for the late, great trainer, at Santa Anita. Of course, five-year-old Splendora is a male-line granddaughter of none other than Into Mischief. And 2025 champion three-year-old filly Nitrogen delivered a facile victory in the Bayakoa Stakes (G3) on Feb. 7 at Oaklawn Park. A daughter of Medaglia d’Oro—also sire of Rachel Alexandra, among others—he is out of Tiffany Case (by Uncle Mo), who is also the dam of Nitrogen’s stakes-winning three-quarter sibling Love to Shop (by Medaglia d’Oro’s son Violence).

El Potente repeats in the Thunder Road with Silver Charm in the family

The aforementioned Silver Charm popped up in the pedigree of another graded winner last weekend. El Potente won the Feb. 7 Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita for the second year in a row; she’s a maternal granddaughter of the 1997 dual classic winner.