Osborne-trained Brotherly Love Earns Kentucky Derby Points with Meydan Win

Brotherly Love, a Zoustar colt trained by Jamie Osborne and ridden by his daughter Saffie Osborne, closed powerfully to win the Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes at Meydan on Feb. 20, 2026, securing 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and covering 1 3/16 miles (1900 metres) in 2:01.40. The victory came after odds-on Salloom burst through the gates and was scratched late, leaving 11 starters to contest the first points-bearing running of the Listed contest.

The start was chaotic. Knight of Glory reared repeatedly behind the gate and dislodged part of his gear, and his continued antics proved contagious as several other horses acted up before the off. After the late scratch and gate disorder, the field raced to a strong early pace that set up Brotherly Love’s late charge down the straight, allowing Saffie Osborne to angle him wide and produce a two-length winning margin over Duke Of Immatin.

Saffie Osborne said, "He’s becoming like his brother in ability and demeanor. They both like making life difficult for me, but when I came out into the straight and he switched leads I always felt like I was going to pick them up. He stays all day, this horse, and has a lot of class." The jockey’s confidence paid off as Brotherly Love found plenty late to overhaul rivals and secure the victory for owners Jim and Claire.

Brotherly Love’s win carries immediate series significance: the 20 points push him onto the Europe and Middle East Road leaderboard and behind Six Speed among currently nominated contenders on that list. Six Speed also has 20 points but holds the tie-breaker via greater unrestricted stakes earnings, leaving Brotherly Love second on that regional leaderboard. Brotherly Love is not yet nominated to the Triple Crown, so connections face a nomination decision if they intend to target the May 2 Kentucky Derby.

Pedigree and family context deepened the narrative. Brotherly Love is a half-brother to Heart Of Honor, who finished second in this same race last year and later ran in the 2025 Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Osborne Senior celebrated the result as personal and Carnival history: "It was gutting to get pipped in this race last year with Heart of Honor so it’s great to avenge that for Jim and Claire, it’s very special for them. That’s Dad’s sixth winner of the Carnival and I’m not sure people realise how hard that is to do." He added simply, "Sweet revenge!"

The Meydan card also produced related international Derby and Oaks points: Labwah won the UAE Oaks in 2:00.57 and banked 50 Kentucky Oaks points, while the Europe and Middle East Road continues with the Patton at Dundalk on Feb. 27 and culminates with the UAE Derby on March 28, a 100-point finale. With foreign preps now awarding Derby points for the first time in this race, Brotherly Love’s Meydan score underscores the growing commercial and sporting pull of the global Derby trail and the practical choices trainers and owners must make about nomination, travel and target races in the spring.