Kentucky Derby and Oaks Roundup: Feb. 21, 2022

We’ve reached another milestone—the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) is only 75 days away.

As the first Saturday in May draws closer, stay up to speed on all the action with our latest roundup of Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks news.

Changes on the leaderboard

We have a new name atop the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard! On Saturday at Fair Grounds, Epicenter strolled to a convincing victory in the Risen Star S. (G2) at Fair Grounds, leading all the way and finishing fast down the homestretch to win eased up by 2 3/4 lengths.

Previously victorious in the Gun Runner S. and runner-up in the Lecomte S. (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, Epicenter has accumulated 64 Kentucky Derby qualification points, more than twice as many points as any other horse on the leaderboard.

The leaderboard’s runner-up position belongs to Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) hero Smile Happy, who rallied strongly into the fast closing fractions to finish second in the Risen Star, boosting his points total to 30 in the process. Remsen S. (G2) runner-up Zandon was just half a length back in third place, sufficient to place him fifth on the leaderboard with 14 points, while Risen Star fourth-place finisher Pioneer of Medina picked up 5 points to debut in 20th place.

Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby

The penultimate stop on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby took place on Sunday. The 1,600-meter (about one mile) Hyacinth S. at Tokyo Racecourse went the way of Combustion, who had previously run second in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Pace-tracking tactics proved ideal for Combustion, who dashed the final 600 meters in a snappy :35.4 to beat Geraldo Barows by a neck in 1:35.3. This gritty victory boosted Combustion’s points total to 38, but since the Godolphin colorbearer isn’t nominated to the Triple Crown, the top spot on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard belongs to Geraldo Barows. Previously third in the Cattleya Sho on the local Derby trail, Geraldo Barows has accumulated 14 points.

The Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby concludes with the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8 miles) Fukuryu S. on March 26 at Nakayama Racecourse. The Fukuryu awards points on a 40-16-8-4 basis to the top four finishers.

On the work tab

Barber Road: Clocked five furlongs in 1:00.40 on last Tuesday at Oaklawn Park, then came back with four furlongs in :48.00 on Monday.

Cabo Spirit: Took a five-furlong spin over the Santa Anita main track on Sunday, getting the distance in 1:00.60.

Commandperformance: Recorded five furlongs in 1:01.73 on Sunday at Palm Beach Downs.

Courvoisier: Tackled the Belmont Park training track on Monday and breezed half a mile in :49.45.

Dash Attack: Completed his preparations for the Rebel S. (G2) by breezing five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.20 on Saturday at Oaklawn.

Giant Game: Breezed half a mile in :48.63 on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Major General: Produced a third straight bullet workout on Saturday at Palm Beach Downs, getting five furlongs in 1:00.20.

Mo Donegal: Took an easy spin over the Palm Beach Downs dirt on Saturday, traveling half a mile in :51.13.

Rattle N Roll: The Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner continued along the comeback trail with five furlongs in :59.65 on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Simplification: Blazed a bullet five furlongs on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, getting the distance in :58.62.

Un Ojo: Breezed four furlongs in :50.06 over the Belmont Park training track on Monday.

Road to the Kentucky Oaks

A pair of rich Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifiers in vastly different regions of the world took place last weekend, significantly shaking up the leaderboard.

The UAE Oaks (G3) at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai was the first Kentucky Oaks qualifier worth 50-20-10-5 points to the top four finishers. When the dust settled, victory in the 1,900-meter heat belonged to Shahama, who rallied from last place to score by two lengths over Arabian Gazelles. The daughter of Munnings is now unbeaten and unchallenged in four starts, all at Meydan.

Shahama and Arabian Gazelles briefly ranked first and fourth on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard, but they fell to second and sixth following Saturday’s Rachel Alexandra S. (G2) at Fair Grounds, which likewise awarded points on a 50-20-10-5 split.

Few bettors expected grass filly Turnerloose to win her dirt debut in the Rachel Alexandra; exiting a last-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), she was dismissed as a 17-1 longshot. But the daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist thrived while switching surfaces, launching a sustained rally from a few lengths off the pace to beat Goddess of Fire by half a length.

The victory vaulted Turnerloose to the top of the leaderboard with 50 points, while Goddess of Fire climbed to fourth with 22. Rachel Alexandra superfecta finishers Hidden Connection (17 points) and Awake At Midnyte (14 points)—both veterans of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks—settled in eighth place and ninth place, respectively.

Looking ahead

Action on the Derby and Oaks trails heads to Oaklawn Park this Saturday for a pair of qualifiers awarding 50-20-10-5 points to the top four finishers.

The Derby prep of note is the $1 million Rebel S. (G2), a race won in recent years by champions and/or Breeders’ Cup winners Lookin At Lucky (2010), Secret Circle (2012), Will Take Charge (2013), and American Pharoah (2015). Saturday’s renewal of the 1 1/16-mile race is expected to draw Smarty Jones S. winner Dash Attack and Southwest S. (G3) runner-up Barber Road, among others.

Meanwhile, the 1 1/16-mile $300,000 Honeybee S. (G3) on the Oaks trail could feature a promising field led by Martha Washington S. heroine Secret Oath and Golden Rod S. (G2) runner-up Yuugiri. Post positions for both the Rebel and the Honeybee will be drawn on Monday.