Commandment (foaled February 23, 2023) is a Grade I winning American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2026 Florida Derby. Background Commandment is a bay colt who was bred in Kentucky by Lee Pokoik and is out of a mare he raced—Sippican Harbor, winner of the 2018 Grade I Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga Racetrack. Initially, Commandment was offered twice, once as a weanling at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale, failing to meet his reserve at $485,000, and again at Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale as a yearling, with a final bid of $475,000. In the fall of 2023 at Keeneland's September Yearling Sale, Case Clay Thoroughbred Management bought the colt for $500,000 for Wathnan Racing.
Commandment's sire is Into Mischief, a Grade I winner at the age of two who has been North America's leading sire by purse winnings in multiple years since 2018.
Commandment is trained by US Champion trainer Brad H. Cox.
Commandment was the leading qualification point earner in the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Statistics Date Distance Race Grade Track Odds Field Finish WinningTime Winning(Losing)Margin Jockey Ref2025 – Two-year-old season 6 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Keeneland 2.63* 12 4 1:10.23 ( lengths) 7 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Churchill Downs 1.49* 9 1 1:24.63 lengths 2026 – Three-year-old season 1 mile Mucho Macho Man Stakes Listed Gulfstream Park 0.50* 7 1 1:38.23 lengths miles Fountain of Youth Stakes II Gulfstream Park 2.40 9 1 1:43.33 neck miles Florida Derby I Gulfstream Park 1.90 6 1 1:49.99 nose miles Kentucky Derby I Churchill Downs 6.18 18 7 2:02.27 ( lengths) miles Belmont Stakes I Saratoga 6.04 9 2 2:03.49 ( lengths) miles Jim Dandy Stakes II Saratoga 1.19* 5 2 1:49.08 ( length)
Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Commandment was the post-time favourite.
Pedigree
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