The Kentucky Derby is officially here with 20 horses trying to win the crown, and an Oklahoman is behind one of the top horses in the race.
As of Tuesday, the top horse is Renegade, running in first position, with a 4-1 favorability, according to The Courier Journal, a member of the USA TODAY Network. But currently, running with a 20-1 favorability is Silent Tactic, co-owned by an Oklahoma Hall of Famer and Tulsa native.
John C. Oxley, 89, was born in Tulsa and is a second-generation horseman. But this isn't his first lap around Churchill Downs. Instead, this could be the second time a horse of his wins the Run for the Roses.
Here's what to know about John C. Oxley and Silent Tactic in the upcoming Kentucky Derby.
Silent Tactic is a 3-year-old male horse. He is the son of Tacitus, third-place finisher in the 2019 Kentucky Derby. Renowned Triple Crown winner Secretariat appears three times in Silent Tactic's pedigree.
After winning his first race in October 2025, Silent Tactic has not placed worse than second in six starts. The bay-colored horse is 2-4-0 in six starts across his racing career, earning $1,051,922 total.
More: Silent Tactic horse trainer, jockey, owner for Kentucky Derby 2026
He is trained by Mark Casse. This is Casse's 11th Kentucky Derby. The highest a Casse-trained horse has placed in the Kentucky Derby was fourth place in 2017 with Classic Empire.
“I’ve been fortunate to train some good horses over the years and most of them, actually, thrive with racing, and I think he (Silent Tactic) is,” Casse said. “I think that, ultimately, it’s a bonus. He’s a well-tested horse.”
John C. Oxley, also known as Jack, gets his horse passion from his father, John T. Oxley, who was an Oklahoma gas and oilman. Both have been inducted into the National Museum of Polo Hall of Fame.
Together, Jack Oxley and his wife, Debby Oxley, have trained racing horses, bringing some great victories from their thoroughbreds. Some of their earliest wins include 1995 Kentucky Oaks winner Gal In A Ruckus, Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes winner Sky Mesa and Grade 2 Dwyer and Super Derby winner Strong Contender.
However, their biggest win comes with Monarchos winning the 2001 Kentucky Derby. Monarchos crossed the finish line at 1:59.97, making it the second horse to finish the race in less than two minutes, a club only Secretariat and Monarchos can claim.
The Oxleys were previously in the international horse racing limelight when their mare Beautiful Pleasure won the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (now called the Ladies’ Classic), en route to being voted the 1999 Eclipse Award for Champion Older Female.
Oxley was inducted into the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2011.
The Oxleys currently reside in Midway, Kentucky, and keep several broodmares at their Fawn Leap Farm, according to the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
The 152nd Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2026. Fans can view the Kentucky Derby on NBC and USA Network, with streaming available on Peacock.
Location: Churchill Downs (Louisville, Kentucky)
The 2026 Kentucky Derby can be watched on NBC, with streaming available on Peacock. Coverage starts at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Odds via KentuckyDerby.com as of 9:30am on Tuesday, April 28:
Price tag: $500,000 at 2025 Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.