Chad Brown Sends Paladin to Risen Star for Major Derby Points

Chad Brown is taking a familiar route with Paladin, sending the unbeaten 3-year-old colt to the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds on Feb. 14 for a chance at a hefty haul of Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The Risen Star awards points on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis to the top five finishers, the largest allocation run so far in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, and those points can decide entry preference should the Kentucky Derby draw exceed 20 starters.

Paladin arrives at New Orleans 2-for-2, with a decisive win in the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct on Dec. 6 where he charged home two lengths in front of Renegade. The chestnut son of Gun Runner carries a Brisnet top speed rating of 98 from that effort, total earnings of $184,250, and 10 Derby qualifying points. Trainer Chad Brown framed the move as a strategic repeat of past success: “We had a lot of success going this route with a good run in the Derby, a near win. So I figured we'd go the same path.”

Tyler Gaffalione will ride Paladin, reuniting the colt with the jockey who partnered Brown’s Sierra Leone to a Risen Star victory and a subsequent big-season run. HorseRacingNation noted the stability of the team, writing, “Paladin will be ridden Saturday by Tyler Gaffalione, who also rode Sierra Leone to win the Risen Star.” The colt’s training has included a string of four-furlong works at Payson Park in South Florida, and trainers and connections report he “appears ready to roll.”

The Risen Star field of eight presents stiff opposition. Golden Tempo, fresh off the Lecomte Stakes win at Fair Grounds, brings 20 Derby points and the advantage of track recency and experience. Chip Honcho, a winner of the Gun Runner Stakes, has 14 points and enters with a four-start record that includes two wins and a second for trainer Steve Asmussen with jockey Luis Saez named. Universe holds 13 points, while Paladin’s 10 points rank him fourth among the confirmed contenders. HorseRacingNation assessed the matchup and concluded, “Although Golden Tempo has the track experience and recency advantage, I believe Paladin has the bigger upside and I consider him the one to beat in the eight-horse field.”

Ownership for Paladin is a high-profile partnership that includes Peter M. Brant; Susan Magnier (sometimes listed as Mrs. John Magnier); Michael B. Tabor; Derrick Smith; Brook T. Smith; and breeder Summer Wind Equine, which retained an interest after Paladin sold for $1.9 million at Fasig-Tipton’s The Saratoga Sale in 2024. That pedigree and price tag underscore the commercial stakes: a strong Risen Star showing will boost Paladin’s racing resume and his long-term breeding valuation.

The Risen Star’s significance goes beyond a single victory. A top finish will move Paladin into position for entry preference at Churchill Downs and alter the pecking order among early Derby contenders. For racing fans, bettors, and industry observers, Paladin’s trip to New Orleans is a consequential next chapter in a campaign that now tests whether Brown’s repeated blueprint can produce another classic-caliber stretch run.