Tipsheet: 2022 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes

A total of nine juveniles will run 1 1/16 miles on the Churchill Downs main strip in Saturday’s $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2).

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes Picks

• #8 Instant Coffee
• #6 Freedom Trail
• #5 Red Route One
• #1 Curly Jack

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes Wagers 

• $15 win and place: #8 Instant Coffee
• $4 exacta: key box 8 with 1, 5, 6
• $1 superfecta: 8 with 1, 5, 6 with 1, 5, 6 with all

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes Contenders

#1 CURLY JACK (3-1): Two-for-two on the course, led by a tally in the Iroquois S. (G3) two back for Amoss. Finished a distant fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile S. (G1) last time out but faces a more reasonable task in this spot on a surface that he obviously enjoys. Regular pilot Edgar Morales will be up.

#2 WESTERN GHENT (20-1): Broke his maiden with maiden claiming foes and has been dusted by two stakes fields in the interim. The American Pharoah colt is hard to endorse at this stage of his development.

#3 DENINGTON (12-1): Graduated in style on the oval last time out for Ken McPeek. The Gun Runner colt handled the sloppy, sealed surface with ease in his latest attempt and will be dangerous at a nice price if there is moisture in the ground on Saturday. Regular pilot Brian Hernandez will be in the stirrups.

#4 GIGANTE (12-1): A stakes winner who is a wildcard on the main oval for Asmussen. The Not This Time colt was a fine winner in his lone run on the dirt in his lifetime and could be any kind making his second run on the main strip coming off a try in the Bourbon (G2) on the lawn at Keeneland. Corey Lanerie picks up the mount.

#5 RED ROUTE ONE (7-2): Closed to be third in the Breeders’ Futurity S. (G1) two back prior to finishing a well-beaten fifth in the Street Sense S. on this oval in his latest endeavor. The son of Gun Runner has a fine turn of foot and can surely make some noise late as a top-three contender with Tyler Gaffalione in the controls.

#6 FREEDOM TRAIL (6-1): Unbeaten from a pair of lifetime runs on the lawn for conditioner John Terranova. The bay son of Collected has done nothing wrong to date and intrigues trying the dirt for the first time for a conditioner who knows how to spot his runners. The presence of Florent Geroux in the silks is a major bonus.

#7 HAYES STRIKE (10-1): Finished a clear second in the Street Sense S. (G3) on the surface and rates as an obvious contender in the field for McPeek. The Connect juvenile has flashed improvement in his lifetime and seems to have put it all together leading up to his biggest test to date. Rafael Bejarano has the repeat assignment.

#8 INSTANT COFFEE (5-2): A fantastic debut winner at Saratoga prior to finishing a hard-trying fourth in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland last time out. The Brad Cox pupil continues to train in good fashion this season and seems poised for a huge performance against this field while making just his third career start. Luis Saez retains the mount.

#9 CYCLONE MISCHIEF (8-1): Impressed with a dominant maiden victory on the dirt at Keeneland last time out for Dale Romans. The Into Mischief youngster was a close third on the surface on debut and surely makes sense in this spot with an expected move in the right direction despite drawing widest in the field. The $450,000 purchase has early speed and will be forcing the issue from the opening bell with regular pilot Joe Talamo in the stirrups.