Kentucky Derby and Oaks Roundup: March 21, 2022

With less than seven weeks remaining until the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1), the final rounds of qualifiers are about to begin.

Six weeks out from the first Saturday in May marks the start of the top-tier prep races worth 100-40-20-10 points to the top four finishers. There’s a lot to look forward to over the next few weekends, so let’s set the stage with a roundup of Derby and Oaks news and notes.

Changes on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard

No Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races took place last week, so the leaderboard remains unchanged with Classic Causeway (66 points) on top. The cutoff for qualification is currently Slow Down Andy (10 points, 20th place), followed by Major General (10 points, 21st place) on the outside looking in.

On the work tab

Barber Road: Traveled half a mile on Saturday at Oaklawn Park, completing the move in :48.20.

Call Me Midnight: Clocked four furlongs in :47.40 on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Dean’s List: Breezed four furlongs in :49.98 on Friday at Belmont Park.

Epicenter: The Louisiana Derby (G2) favorite wrapped up his preparations with an easy half-mile in :51.00 on Monday at Fair Grounds.

Mo Donegal: Worked half a mile in :49.41 on Saturday at Palm Beach Downs.

Morello: Tackled the Belmont Park training track on Monday and breezed five furlongs in 1:01.05.

O Captain: Late Triple Crown nominee breezed five furlongs in 1:01.14 on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Pappacap: Turned in a bullet five-furlong workout on Saturday at the Casse Training Center, completing the move in :59.00.

Rattle N Roll: Burned up the Gulfstream main track on Saturday, flying through five furlongs in a bullet :58.81.

Simplification: Traveled five furlongs in 1:01.81 on Saturday at Gulfstream.

Slow Down Dandy: Completed his Sunland Derby (G3) preparations by clocking six furlongs in 1:12.40.

Smile Happy: Joined stablemate Rattle N Roll on the Saturday work tab at Gulfstream, blazing five furlongs in a bullet :58.81.

Stolen Base: Worked half a mile in :49.80 on Saturday over the Turfway Park Tapeta track.

Tiz the Bomb: Blazed a bullet half-mile in :47.00 on Friday at Keeneland, his first move since winning the John Battaglia Memorial S.

Un Ojo: Took a spin at The Training Center at Copper Crowne on Saturday, breezing five furlongs in 1:03.00.

Volcanic: Clocked five furlongs in 1:00.60 on Saturday at the Casse Training Center.

Zandon: Breezed a quick four furlongs in :48.80 on Saturday at Payson Park.

Road to the Kentucky Oaks

As with the Derby trail, not a single Road to the Kentucky Oaks prep races was contested last week, leaving the leaderboard unchanged with Secret Oath (60 points) in first place.

However, the landscape should look very different by this time next week. Saturday brings the running of the 1 1/16-mile Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) at Fair Grounds, the first Kentucky Oaks qualifier worth 100-40-20-10 to the top four finishers. The race will mark the much-anticipated return of champion two-year-old filly Echo Zulu (30 points), who currently ranks sixth on the leaderboard.

Rachel Alexandra S. (G2) heroine Turnerloose and last year’s Pocahontas S. (G3) winner Hidden Connection are among the key challengers in the Fair Grounds Oaks.

Then on Sunday, the 1 1/16-mile Sunland Park Oaks at Sunland Park will award points on a 50-20-10-5 split. Las Virgenes S. (G3) runner-up Queen of Thorns and local Island Fashion S. winner Miss Hard Knocks are among the entrants.

Looking ahead

Making up for the quiet action last week, three major Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers are on the agenda this weekend. Here’s how the schedule is shaping up:

• Saturday: UAE Derby (G2) at Meydan in Dubai: Held over 1,900 meters (about 1 3/16 miles), the UAE Derby awards qualification points to the top four finishers on a 100-40-20-10 basis. U.S.-based hopefuls for the rich prize include Saudi Derby (G3) winner Pinehurst and Withers S. (G3) third-place finisher Gilded Age.
• Saturday: Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds: The first of the stateside 100-40-20-10 qualifiers is a 1 3/16-mile event with nine names in the entries. Risen Star S. (G2) winner Epicenter is the expected favorite, but Breeders’ Futurity (G1) hero Rattle N Roll and Lecomte S. (G3) winner Call Me Midnight can’t be dismissed from consideration.

• Sunday: Sunland Derby (G3) at Sunland Park: Back for the first time since 2019, the 1 1/8-mile Sunland Derby awards points on a 50-20-10-5 basis to the top four finishers. Eight horses have been entered, with Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) winner Slow Down Andy and Mine That Bird Derby winner Straight Up G the most accomplished of the lot.

In addition, the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby wraps up on Saturday with the 1,800-meter Fukuryu at Nakayama Racecourse, worth 40-16-8-4 to the top four finishers. Triple Crown nominees Ho O Roulette, Jasper Great, and Line of Soul are among the early entrants. Jasper Great has already made one trip to the U.S., finishing 10th in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), and a voyage to Churchill Downs could certainly be in the offing if he prevails in the Fukuryu.