Top competitors in the Open Derby will go head-to-head in the finals, each aiming to leave the 2026 NRCHA Stallion Stakes as champion. The Open Finals kick off at South Point Casino & Hotel’s Priefert Pavilion on Friday, April 10, with herd work. Following the herd work, on Saturday, April 11, competitors will head to South Point’s main arena for the rein work and fence work portions of the finals.
After the preliminary rounds, Jeremy Knoles and Dualin Metallic Cat (Dual Reyish x Metallicat) lead the field. The pair posted a cumulative score of 661, highlighted by a 219 in the herd work, a 216.5 in the rein work and a 225.5 in the fence work. While the competition proved challenging in the preliminaries, scores reset heading into the finals—leaving the championship title up for grabs.
