The Walker
$225.000 – For Three Year Olds
5 1/2 Furlongs – Turf 
Churchill Downs – May 9, 2026

The Walker seems like a bad name for a race for fast horses and the name doesn’t immediately harken to the namesake that it was designed to honor. You wouldn’t immediately know it but the race is named for William Walker who was the black jockey who won the third running of the Kentucky Derby in 1877 as a seventeen-year-old former slave. History tells us he was renowned for his skill at coming from behind to win and T Boy Racing’s Red Party did his part to honor the race’s namesake by coming from off the pace under R. Bejarano to best Credit Criminal by head at the legendary track where William Walker made history. 

Winner: Red Party (T Boy Racing/ R. Bejarano) Serpiente Party/Red Sensation (Super Sensation) Drafted off of the leaders in the second flight along the rail early. Moved off of the rail entering the stretch and began the task of running down the stubborn pacesetters Credit Criminal and Evil Contained. Finally wore down the runner up with yards to go to stick his head out front at the wire for a hard-fought win. 

Second: Credit Criminal (Aer Stables/Mario Gutierrez) Viral Lock/Yuhwa (Worst Case Scenario) The pace was hotly contested from the opening bell and Credit Criminal did not get a breather at any point. Went to the front from the rail and battled in a three-way duel with Evil Contained and Wolfman Jack. Wolfman Jack began to give way with a quarter mile to go, and he began to inch away from Evil Contained shortly thereafter. Did his best to hold off the closers but Red Party was too strong in the final strides. 

Third: Superior Palace (Mb Stables/B. Curtis) Superior Pinnacle/Exquisite Palace (Creepy Palace) Had a similar but wider trip to the winner throughout. Red Party got the jump on Superior Palace and opened up a length on him at the top of the stretch. Was able to gain on the two leaders and headed Evil Contained late but could not close the gap to Red Party.

Fourth DH: Hobo (D J C Racing Stables/E. Esquivel) Liberty Valance/Falling Homily (Falling Angel) Broke from the rail and was taken back to allow others to contest the lead early. Found an inside path late and closed best of all late to just catch Evil Contained to dead heat for the final check. 

Fourth DH: Evil Contained (Greyhound/J.A. Torres) Demon/Cotillard (Condotieri) Dueled with familiar foe Credit Criminal along with Wolfman Jack early and set the pace until entering the stretch where the duel began to take its toll and Credit Criminal edged ahead. Continued on gamely through the stretch but had to settle for a dead heat for fourth. 

Preview Pick: Credit Criminal – Second. Top four picks (Credit Criminal, Evil Contained, Red Party, Superior Palace) finished in the top four albeit in the wrong order. Better than usual!

The Walker was the fourth win in a row for Red Party who is a T Boy Racing homebred. It was the second straight stakes win for Red Party who is the second stakes winner from four foals for his dam Red Sensation along with half-brother Power Red. This was the first win in The Walker for both T Boy Racing and jockey R. Bejarano. The win brings the total career earnings for Red Party to $446.18.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded