Keeneland's spring meet has kicked off and the GI Kentucky Derby is less than a month away. Let's take a look back at the recently concluded first quarter of 2026, where we got to enjoy 78 (19%) of the 410 graded races scheduled domestically for this year. Thus far in 2026, the 78 graded races already run can be categorized as six Grade I events, 21 Grade II, and 51 Grade III. Eight tracks across the country hosted graded races, led by Gulfstream Park's 24 and Santa Anita's 22.There were 72 individual winners of the 78 graded races, with Commandment, Destino d'Oro, Knightsbridge, Lagynos, Skippylongstocking, and Splendora capturing two apiece.Eleven (15%) of the graded winners were tabbed as 'TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard' at the beginning of their careers.The only sire to capture two of the Grade Is was Into Mischief, whose sons Commandment and Renegade won the only two Grade I races for 3-year-olds run in the first quarter (and they did it on the same afternoon!).Into Mischief had five individual graded winners, while Gun Runner and Not This Time each had four.Bernardini and Tapit together led the broodmare sire category for the first quarter with four individual winners each out of their daughters. Blame and Uncle Mo both had three.Six breeders scored with two graded winners apiece: Calumet Farm, Camas Park (one in partnership), Gary and Mary West Stables, Godolphin, Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt, and Stoneriggs Farm.Nineteen of the first quarter individual winners are homebreds, four with partners added.Fifty went through a public auction once or more during their life, with seven selling for seven figures. An equal number–seven–sold for $25,000 or less. Six went through a sale in Europe.Brad Cox led all trainers in the graded category with nine wins, while Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher were hot on his heels with eight each.The post 78 Graded Races Run in the First Quarter of 2026: What Did We Learn? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.