Kentucky Derby and Oaks Roundup: Jan. 31, 2022

Last weekend was a relatively quiet one on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. We say relatively, because even a quiet week on the Kentucky Derby trail is packed with news and developments.

Let’s catch up on where things stand, and check in on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks for good measure.

Changes on the Leaderboard

The Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard remains largely unchanged following Saturday’s Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park. The 1 1/16-mile race was slated to award 17 qualification points split 10-4-2-1 among the top four finishers. However, the victorious Newgrange was ineligible to earn points since his trainer, Bob Baffert, is currently suspended from racing at Churchill Downs.

As a result, the Southwest failed to change the leaderboard Top 10. The deep-closing Southwest runner-up Barber Road came close, climbing to 13th place with 8 points. Ben Diesel (3 points, 24th place) and Kavod (2 points, 27th place) completed the Southwest superfecta, but both settled outside the leaderboard Top 20.

On the Work Tab

Classic Causeway: Traveled six furlongs in a solid 1:12.40 on Wednesday at Palm Meadows.

Courvoisier: Breezed five furlongs in 1:02.41 over the Belmont Park training track on Friday.

Giant Game: Clocked four furlongs in :49.57 on Tuesday at Gulfstream Park, then followed up with another four furlongs over the same track in :48.67 on Sunday.

Major General: Worked four furlongs in an easy :50.52 on Friday at Palm Beach Downs.

Make It Big: Traveled five furlongs in 1:01.16 on Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

Mo Donegal: Took to the Palm Beach Downs main track on Saturday for a half mile in :49.69.

Rattle N Roll: Clocked three furlongs in :35.67 on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Slow Down Andy: Turned in his third straight five-furlong workout on Sunday at Santa Anita, getting the distance in 1:00.60.

Smarten Up: Breezed five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.54 on Friday at Parx Racing.

Tough to Tame: The Iroquois S. (G3) runner-up posted his first workout of the year on Friday at Palm Meadows, going three furlongs in :37.65.

White Abarrio: Rocketed a bullet half mile on Friday at Gulfstream Park, getting the distance in :47.05.

Zandon: Breezed four furlongs in :49.80 on Saturday at Payson Park.

Road to the Kentucky Oaks

In contrast to the Derby trail, the Road to the Kentucky Oaks took a definite twist when Secret Oath unleashed a dominant victory in Saturday’s Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn Park.

Secret Oath hardly took a deep breath in the Martha Washington, swooping into contention around the far turn before powering clear with authority to win the one-mile race by 7 1/4 lengths. Victory gave the D. Wayne Lukas trainee 10 qualification points, placing her seventh on the current leaderboard.

Distant runner-up Optionality (4 points) sits in 15th place, just outside the Top 14 cutoff.

Looking Ahead

Next weekend is a busy one on the Derby and Oaks trails. No fewer than five qualifiers (all awarding points on a 10-4-2-1 basis) are slated to take place from coast to coast.

Let’s take a look at the agenda:

• Feb. 5: Withers S. (G3) at Aqueduct: This 1 1/8-mile Derby prep is tentatively expected to draw a field of 10, led by Jerome S. 1-2 finishers Courvoisier and Smarten Up.
• Feb. 5: Holy Bull S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park: Florida’s earliest Derby qualifier should draw a deep field to race 1 1/16 miles, including Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) runner-up Tiz the Bomb and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) third-place finisher Giant Game.
• Feb. 5: Forward Gal S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park: Oaks points are on the table in the seven-furlong Forward Gal, which could mark the stakes debut of the undefeated Shug McGaughey trainee Radio Days.
• Feb. 6: Robert B. Lewis S. (G3) at Santa Anita: California’s path to the Derby continues with this 1 1/16-mile heat. The field is still in flux, but Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) runner-up Messier and recent debut winner Happy Jack are among the possible starters.
• Feb. 6: Las Virgenes S. (G3) at Santa Anita: Last month’s Starlet S. (G1) winner Eda looks like the favorite to win this 1 1/16-mile Oaks qualifier.