Kentucky Derby and Oaks Roundup: Jan. 17, 2022

Did you know only 110 days remain until the 2022 Kentucky Derby?

It might seem like a fair chunk of time, but time flies on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Let’s round up the latest Kentucky Derby (and Kentucky Oaks) news as the winter prep races heat up.

Changes on the Leaderboard

The Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard has been in a holding pattern since Jan. 1, when a trio of prep races took place across the country. As it stands, the multiple Grade 1-placed Pappacap ranks atop the leaderboard with 12 points. Ten horses, headed by Breeders’ Futurity (G1) hero Rattle N Roll and undefeated Champagne S. (G1) winner Jack Christopher, follow closely behind on 10 points as winners of one race in the series.

On the Work Tab

Barber Road: The Smarty Jones S. runner-up clocked five furlongs in 1:03.60 on Friday at Oaklawn Park.

Classic Causeway: Third in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and runner-up in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2), Classic Causeway sped five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.75 on Wednesday at Palm Beach Downs.

Dash Attack: Fresh off a victory in the Smarty Jones S., Dash Attack dashed a half mile in :49.80 on Friday at Oaklawn Park.

Epicenter: The runaway Gun Runner S. hero wrapped up his preparations for the Lecomte S. (G3) when clocking four furlongs in :48.80 on Sunday at Fair Grounds.

Giant Game: The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) third-place finisher has been training fast at Gulfstream Park, most recently blazing five furlongs in a bullet :59.85 on Tuesday.

Major General: The Iroquois S. (G3) winner is back on the work tab at Palm Beach Downs, traveling three furlongs in :37.55 on Friday.

Make It Big: Breezed a half mile in :49.62 on Sunday at Gulfstream Park, his second workout since winning the Remington Springboard Mile S.

Mo Donegal: The Remsen S. (G2) winner clocked five furlongs in 1:01.26 on Saturday at Palm Beach Downs.

Osbourne: Runner-up in the Remington Springboard Mile, Osbourne clocked four furlongs in :49.20 on Friday at Oaklawn Park.

Pappacap: The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) runner-up cemented his favoritism for the Lecomte S. (G3) when breezing four furlongs in a rapid :48.20 on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Slow Down Andy: There’s nothing slow about the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) winner, who clocked five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Sunday at Santa Anita, his third workout of the young year.

Smarten Up: Fresh off a runner-up effort in the Jerome S., Smarten Up breezed four furlongs in :50.31 on Friday at Parx Racing.

Smile Happy: The Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) winner fired off a fast workout on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, going half a mile in :46.52.

White Abarrio: Third behind Smile Happy in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2), White Abarrio breezed five furlongs in 1:01.00 last Monday at Gulfstream Park.

Zandon: The narrow Remsen S. (G2) runner-up clocked five furlongs in 1:02.40 on Sunday at Payson Park.

Road to the Kentucky Oaks

The Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard features a far more decisive pacesetter than the Derby version. Three-time Grade 1 winner and probable champion two-year-old filly Echo Zulu leads the way with 30 points, followed by Juju’s Map (18 points) and Hidden Connection (12 points), who finished behind Echo Zulu when second and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

Looking Ahead

The Road to the Kentucky Derby resumes on Saturday with the running of the Lecomte S. (G3) at Fair Grounds. The 1 1/16-mile race has drawn nine entries, including Pappacap and Epicenter, and will award 17 Kentucky Derby qualification points to the top four finishers on a 10-4-2-1 basis.

An identical number of Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualification points are up for grabs in Saturday’s Silverbulletday S. at Fair Grounds, a one-mile and 70-yard event featuring half a dozen entries. Among the key contenders are Fannie and Freddie, runner-up in the Untapable S. at Fair Grounds last month, and La Crete, an impressive debut winner at Churchill Downs.