Daily to Derby — Brad Cox Joins the Monster Pod

Kentucky Derby 152 · Road to Churchill Downs

Your morning briefing on the road to the Kentucky Derby

Edition No. 19 · Tuesday, April 28, 2026

🎙️ MONSTER PODCAST

Brad Cox Joins the Monster Pod

The trainer of three Kentucky Derby contenders sat down with JK for a special edition of the Monster Podcast. Brad Cox — who has Commandment, Further Ado, and Fulleffort in Saturday's field — talked preparation, temperament, and what he's seeing from each horse heading into the final week.

Commandment arrives with four wins from five starts and over $1 million earned. Further Ado is coming off an 11-length Grade 1 demolition at Keeneland. Fulleffort won the Jeff Ruby Stakes on synthetic and now transitions to dirt for the first time in the Derby. Three horses, three different profiles, one very busy trainer.

▶ Watch: Brad Cox Monster Pod →

Also new this week:

👉 Right to Party Monster Pod with Kenny McPeek — you'll never believe the bet JK made

👉 Albus & Incredibolt Monster Pod with Riley Mott

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📣 LAST CALL

Final Answers: TOMORROW in Lexington

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🎙️ PRO PLAYER SHOW

Sean Boarman Is a Full-Time Modeler Now — And He's Got Derby Picks

One of the most popular guests in ITM history is back — and he's changed. Sean Boarman has gone full-time modeler, using AI to automate wagering. "In the hands of a novice, AI can be extremely dangerous. But in the hands of a real expert, it could be deadly."

Sean went horse by horse through the entire Derby field. His top pick: Further Ado. He loves Golden Tempo underneath, considers Emerging Market a top-three contender, and confirmed Chief Wallabee going favored is "100% within the realm of possibility."

👉 Listen to the full Sean Boarman Derby show [LINK]

For Plus subscribers: Sean's full LP5 picks and wagering strategy behind the paywall.

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🎰 BET THE DERBY WITH US

Derby Bet Share Is Open

Open until Thursday. LP5 and Superfecta with proper ticket construction. Sign up for our Inner Circle service and reach out to let us know you want in, or contact us directly.

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📊 PRAT FACT

Our friend Chris Fallica pointed out a stat worth knowing: Flavien Prat has had 16 mounts in Triple Crown races. Only once has he finished worse than fourth. Two wins, two seconds, seven thirds, four fourths. He's riding Emerging Market on Saturday from post 15. The most reliable big-race jockey in the country on the only undefeated horse in the field.

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📄 FREE CONTENT

Free Derby Contender Profiles — 19 Live

👉 Browse all contender profiles

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📋 ICYMI

👉 Is Todd Pletcher Actually Bad in the Kentucky Derby?

👉 Derby OddsWatch — updated April 26

👉 Danon Bourbon Monster Pod with Alex Henry

👉 Wonder Dean + Six Speed Monster Pod with Michael Adolphson

👉 Every Derby Winner of the 21st Century, Ranked — with Duke Matties

👉 Free Bris Derby PPs (PDF)

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🐴 CROSSOVER OF THE WEEK

ITM's Frank Scatoni was asked on Twitter who the best closer of all time not in the Baseball Hall of Fame is. His answer: "Zenyatta." We love this man. He also joined us for the Intrepido Monster Pod — watch here.

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🥃 DERBY DRAM No. 2

Weller Antique 107

MSRP $50 · 53.5% ABV · Wheated Bourbon

Yesterday we promised to chase Pappy on a budget. Here's the move.

Weller Antique 107 is made by Buffalo Trace — the same distillery, the same wheated mash bill, and the same family of recipes as Pappy Van Winkle. The difference is age and allocation. Pappy sits in barrels for 15-23 years and is allocated in quantities that make Willy Wonka's golden tickets look like a $2 win on the chalk when a Triple Crown is on the line. Weller Antique 107 — while not always easy to find — actually shows up on shelves at its $50 MSRP if you know where to look.

What you get: butterscotch and cinnamon on the nose, baking spice and vanilla on the palate, and a warm, full finish with real weight to it. At 107 proof it actually has some backbone — this isn't a sipper that disappears on you. It won't blow your mind the way Pappy does, but it will absolutely make you wonder why you've been paying more for less interesting whiskey. At around $50, this is the best dollar-for-dollar wheated bourbon on the market and the perfect bottle to bring to a Derby party where you want to look smart without looking like you're trying too hard.

Tomorrow's Derby Dram: the iconic bottle with the little horse on top — and what a Warehouse H barrel actually tastes like.

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