Every workout and gallop by the probable Kentucky Derby (G1) starters at Churchill Downs is being scrutinized this week (you can watch a special one-hour show each morning from 7 to 8 a.m. Eastern at www.kentuckyderby.com or on the Kentucky Derby Facebook page).
Twenty 3-year-old colts and geldings are set for the 148th Derby on May 7 although there is still some shifting going on as to who is in and who is out. The Derby and Kentucky Oaks (G1) will be drawn on Monday, May 2.
Canadian Thoroughbred has removed EARLY VOTING (trainer Chad Brown) from the probable list as Brown has noted that the colt is likely to be pointed to the Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the American Triple Crown.
That would bring PIONEER OF MEDINA (Pioneerofthe Nile) into the field once again. This Todd Pletcher trainee drew in earlier this week until CLASSIC CAUSEWAY was suddenly re-added to the field by trainer Brian Lynch.
Many Derby horses will be having their final workouts this weekend and for the most part, each horse has looked a picture of health and happiness this week during training. The Japanese entrant and UAE Derby winner CROWN PRIDE (Jpn) (Reach the Crown) has been getting a lot of looks based on his activity this week.
His first gate training session resulted in him bolting to the left and losing his rider but he was back to do it again, properly, once he was caught. He has had fast gallops and had a strong workout on Wednesday morning while wearing the bubble blinkers.
The favourites EPICENTER (Gun Runner) and ZANDON (Upstart) are impressive horses to watch in their training moves. CYBERKNIFE (Gun Runner) had a big workout on April 23 at Churchill. WHITE ABARRIO (Race Day) had a workout on Apr. 24, 1:00 breezing, at Gulfstream Park.
On Thursday, April 28 during training hours, the lightly raced CHARGE IT once again made an impressive appearance. This grey colt by Tapit, trained by Todd Pletcher, has only raced three times and he was second to White Abarrio in the Florida Derby (G1).
SUMMER IS TOMORROW, second in the UAE Derby and a front runner, was very sweaty on track Thursday morning and SMILE HAPPY has also shown some sweat in his morning moves.
Unbeaten TAIBA, 2 for 2, will have an important workout at Santa Anita on the weekend for Tim Yakteen. This son of Gun Runner has been treated delicately since he won his debut on March 5.
Watch Kentucky Derby contender and Toyota Blue Grass (G1) winner Zandon work a 1/2 mile in :48.60 on the Keeneland main track this morning @TheRealChadCBr1 → pic.twitter.com/eh0MnhJZzC
— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) April 23, 2022
Kentucky Derby Probable Starters by Derby Points
Rank/Horse/Points/Owner(s)/Trainer/Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Epicenter / 164 / Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (Joan & Ron Winchell) / Steve Asmussen / $940,000
2. Zandon / 114 / Jeff Drown / Chad Brown / $663,500
3. White Abarrio / 112 / C2 Racing Stable LLC (Clint Cornett) & La Milagrosa Stable LLC (Antonio Pagnano) / S Joseph
4. Mo Donegal / 112 / Donegal Racing (Jerry Crawford et al) / Todd Pletcher / $561,500
5. Tiz the Bomb / 110 / Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek et al) / Kenny McPeek / $1,012,610
6. Cyberknife / 100 / Gold Square LLC (Abraham “Al” Gold) / Brad Cox / $752,000
7. Crown Pride (JPN) / 100 / Teruya Yoshida / Koichi Shintani / $671,544
8. Taiba / 100 / Zedan Racing Stables Inc. (Amr Zedan) / Tim Yakteen / $450,000
9. Simplification / 74 / Tami Bobo / Antonio Sano / $482,150
10. Smile Happy / 70 / Lucky Seven Stable (Michael J. Mackin) / Kenny McPeek / $499,410
11. Classic Causeway/ 66 / Cooper & O’Keefe / Brian Lynch $466,100
12. Tawny Port / 60 / Peachtree / Brad Cox / $351,400
13. Barber Road / 58 / WSS Racing LLC (William Simon) / John Ortiz / $589,700
14. Un Ojo / 54 / Cypress Creek Equine (Kevin Moody) & Whispering Oaks Farm LLC (Carrol Castille) / Ricky Courville / $661,250
15. Messier / 40 / SF Racing LLC (Gavin Murphy), Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf), Madaket Stables LLC (Sol Kumin), Robert E. Masterson, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC (W. Gregg Slager), Catherine M. Donovan, Golconda Stable (Ben Goldberg & Elliot Friman), Siena Farm LLC (Anthony Manganaro) / Tim Yakteen / $390,000
16. Zozos / 40 / Barry & Joni Butzow / Brad Cox / $200,000 / Career: $291,200
17. $-Summer Is Tomorrow / 40 / Michael Hilary Burke & Negar Burke / Bhupat Seemar / $200,000 / Career: $267,606
18. Charge It / 40 / Whisper Hill Farm (Amanda Pope) / Todd Pletcher / $188,000
19. Happy Jack / 30 / Calumet Farm (Brad Kelley) / Doug O’Neill / $142,000
20. Pioneer of Medina / 25 / Sumaya U. S. Stables (Oussama Aboughazale) / Todd Pletcher / $116,000
KENTUCKY OAKS 148
A stellar field is coming together for the oaks on May 6 including unbeaten KATHLEEN O (Upstart) and ECHO ZULU (Gun Runner) and the very good NEST (Curlin).
# Horse Points Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings Career Earnings
(14 permitted to start)
1 Kathleen O. 150 $335,730 $379,730
2 Echo Zulu 130 $1,665,000 $1,720,000
3 Nest 120 $573,550 $623,050
4 Yuugiri 114 $508,050 $543,610
5 Desert Dawn 108 $328,000 $378,400
6 Nostalgic 101 $153,500 $235,400
7 Venti Valentine 94 $237,500 $416,250
8 Secret Oath 80 $436,707 $590,167
9 Goddess of Fire 62 $154,375 $209,375
10 Turnerloose 60 $516,700 $547,300
11 Hidden Connection 57 $369,525 $399,525
12 Cocktail Moments 52 $145,100 $214,560
13 Candy Raid 51 $154,320 $191,400
14 Cleopatras Charge 50 $182,250 $195,406
15 Shahama 50 $180,000 $223,484
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