Flavien Prat: 2026 Kentucky Derby Jockey Profile

There has been no better big-race rider in recent years than jockey Flavien Prat, who is slated to ride Emerging Market for trainer Chad Brown in the 2026 Kentucky Derby. Prat earned the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey the last two years. In 2024, he also set new North American records for stakes wins in a year with 82, and graded-stakes wins in a year with 56.

Prat has been one of the leading riders at the Breeders’ Cup in recent years. He has nine wins so far in Breeders’ Cup races, including two in each of the last two years. In 2024, he won the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Sierra Leone and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf with Moira. The next year, he won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with Nysos and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint with Splendora. Just after winning those championship races, he flew from Southern California back to Aqueduct, rode the Sunday card, and bagged seven wins. In short, he’s a great jockey to have in your corner, no matter when.

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Flavien Prat in the Kentucky Derby

Flavien Prat has been a model of consistency in the Kentucky Derby. He has been in the Run for the Roses eight times, and hit the board six of those eight times. The Kentucky Derby pays only to the top five places – and seven of the eight times Prat has ridden the race, his connections have gotten paid.

Prat won the Kentucky Derby in 2019 with 65-1 long shot Country House. Prat also had the call on second-place finisher Hot Rod Charlie two years later. He has ridden four third-place finishers: Battle of Midway in 2017, Zandon in 2022, Angel of Empire in 2024, and Baeza in 2025. He also rode Catching Freedom to a fourth-place finish in 2024. His only time out of the superfecta came with Solomini, who was 10th in 2018.

Emerging Market, Prat’s horse in the 2026 Kentucky Derby, is trained by Chad Brown. Prat rides for Brown often, but the only other time he has ridden for the barn in the Derby was with third-place Zandon in 2022.

Flavien Prat in the Triple Crown

Prat has only ridden in the Preakness Stakes three times during his career. His first visit to Baltimore for the second jewel of the Triple Crown was a resounding success: he rode upset winner Rombauer for Michael McCarthy. He also rode third-place Catching Freedom in 2024 and fourth-place Goal Oriented in 2025.

Prat has ridden in the Belmont Stakes each of the last five years. Though he still seeks his first win in the final jewel of the Triple Crown, he has yet to finish out of the superfecta, either. He was second with Hot Rod Charlie in 2021, third with both Sierra Leone (2024) and Baeza (2025), and fourth with We the People (2022) and Angel of Empire (2023).

Flavien Prat and 2026 Kentucky Derby Contender Emerging Market

Although Flavien Prat rode top point-earner Commandment to his victory in the Florida Derby (G1) for trainer Brad Cox on March 28, he had already committed to ride Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Emerging Market for trainer Chad Brown. Emerging Market is the least experienced horse in the 2026 Kentucky Derby – he has raced just twice, and if he were to win, he would tie Leonatus for the least-experienced Kentucky Derby winner in history.

Prat has been in the irons for both of Emerging Market’s starts. His career began on February 7 at Tampa Bay Downs, in a one-mile, 40-yard maiden special weight on the Sam F. Davis Stakes undercard. He chased midpack, improved around the far turn, battled down the lane, and earned a game three-quarter-length victory. The top two were 13 ½ lengths clear of the rest of the field, and it earned Emerging Market a trip to stakes company.

The public had faith in the lightly-raced son of Candy Ride – and jockey Flavien Prat. Emerging Market was the 2-1 favorite in a field of nine, despite his inexperience. Once again, he delivered. He chased from midfield, made a rally into the lane, fought the more experienced Pavlovian down the lane, and hit the wire first by a head. Once again, he proved that, despite his inexperience, he knew how to fight.

Chad Brown usually routes his talented but inexperienced runners to the Preakness Stakes, so sending Emerging Market to the Derby is a loud vote of confidence. So is Prat’s presence – the nation’s leading big-race jockey committed to ride him even though he had the option to ride more experienced horses like Commandment down the line. Though anything can happen, and the chaos of a 20-horse field is a new challenge, Emerging Market has the faith of some of the most successful connections in horse racing.

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