Kentucky Derby Developments

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Churchill Downs, in Louisville, KY is Home To The Kentucky Derby. The longest continuously held sporting event, in the United States, is this famed race, for the world’s best 3 year-old thoroughbreds. Thirty-five key prep races were hosted at racetracks around the world, awarding points to the top four finishers of each of those races. The thoroughbreds with the top twenty point totals were entered into The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports. This first Saturday, in May, these distinguished 20 horses will compete on the 1 and 1/4 mile dirt racetrack.

Ethereal Road wins his final KY Derby prep points in the Lexington Stakes!
Ethereal Road wins his final KY Derby prep points in the Lexington Stakes!

Moreover, 5/7/22, at 6:57 PM ET the Kentucky Derby will post. It is race 12 on a card of 14. Television coverage will be on USA Network from 12 PM to 2:30 PM ET and then NBC from 2:30 PM to 7:30 PM ET.

Zando, bext in the Blue Grass Stakes earns a trip to the KY Derby!
Zandon, best in the Blue Grass Stakes earns a trip to the KY Derby!

Additionally, please note the talented field for this KY Derby. The contenders are listed by post/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/morning-line odds/ and KY Derby prep points:

  1. Mo Donegal/Irad Ortiz, Jr./Todd Pletcher/Donegal Racing and Repole Stable/10-1/112
  2. Happy Jack/Rafael Bejarano/Doug O’Neill/Calumet Farm/30-1/30
  3. Epicenter/Joel Rosario/Steve Asmussen/Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC./7-2/164
  4. Summer Is Tomorrow/Mikael Barzalona/Bhupat Seemar/Michael Hilary and Negar Burke/30-1/40
  5. Smile Happy/Corey Lanerie/Ken McPeek/Lucky Seven Stable/20-1/70
  6. Messier/John Velazquez/Tim Yakteen/SF Racing, LLC., Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC., Robert Masterson, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable and Siena Farm/8-1/40
  7. Crown Pride/Chistophe Lemaire/Kochi Shintani/Teruya Yoshida/20-1/100
  8. Charge It/Luis Saez/Todd Pletcher/Whisper Hill Farm, LLC./20-1/40
  9. Tiz the Bomb/Brian Herndandez, Jr./Ken McPeek/Magdalena Racing/30-1/110
  10. Zandon/Flavien Prat/Chad Brown/Jeff Drown/3-1/114
  11. Pioneer of Medina/Joe Bravo/Todd Pletcher/Sumaya U.S Stables/30-1/25
  12. Taiba/Mike Smith/Tim Yakteen/Zedan Racing Stables/12-1/100
  13. Simplification/Jose Ortiz/Antonio Sano/Tami Bobo and Tristan de Meric/20-1/74
  14. Barber Road/Reylu Gutierrez/John Ortiz/WSS Racing, LLC./30-1/58
  15. White Abarrio/Tyler Gaffalione/Saffie Joseph, Jr./C2 Racing Stable, LLC. and La Milagrosa Stable, LLC./10-1/112
  16. Cyberknife/Florent Geroux/Brad Cox/Gold Square, LLC./20-1/100
  17. Classic Causeway/Julien Leparoux/Brian Lynch/Kentucky West Racing, LLC. and Clarke Cooper/30-1/66
  18. Tawny Port/Ricardo Santana, Jr./Brad Cox/Peachtree Stable/30-1/60
  19. Zozos/Manny Franco/Brad Cox/Barry and Joni Butzow/20-1/40
  20. Update: Scratched Ethereal Road/Luis Contreras/D. Wayne Lukas/Julie Gilbert and Aaron Sones/30-1/22 Replaced by: Rich Strike/Sonny Leon/Eric Reed/RED TR-Racing, LLC./99-1/21

Wow! What a dynamic field. Let’s check these contenders out with some more details. Next, each entry is discussed by name (state of breeding) sire – dam: (career starts:wins-2nds-3rd place finishes) and more:

Mo Donegal (KY) Uncle MoCallingmissbrown: (5:3-0-2): Mo Donegal is always in the money! Racing primarily in New York, he broke his maiden in his second start, each at Belmont. He then gathered KY Derby prep points in all of his following races. He sandwiched a third place stakes win at Gulfstream, in Florida, between two first place finishes at Aqueduct. Mo Donegal’s trainer, Pletcher, has won the KY Derby twice.

Happy Jack (KY) OxbowTapitstry: (4:1-0-2): Happy Jack has exclusively raced at Santa Anita in California. He won his first start but has not come out on top since. He earned his points in the most recent race of his three graded stakes. Happy Jack’s trainer, O’Neill has won the KY derby two times. Meanwhile, his owner, Calumet Farm, has won the KY Derby eight times. They are the winningest KY Derby owners.

Epicenter (KY) Not This TimeSilent Candy: (6:4-1-0): Epicenter ranked number one on the leaderboard at the time of the post position draw. He began his career right at Churchill Downs. He broke his maiden in his second race while still at the Downs. Then he shipped to Fair Grounds, in Louisiana, to rake in prep points with top two finishes in his next four graded stakes races. His jockey, Rosario, is a KY Derby winner!

Summer Is Tomorrow (KY) Summer Front Always Tomorrow: (7:2-3-0) Summer is Tomorrow is an international star. He is a successful runner in the United Arab Emirates. Racing at Meydan Racecourse and Jebel Ali with strength in conditions races. He finished second in the UAE Derby to gain admission into the KY Derby. Having entries from other countries is exciting to me. Winning the KY Derby truly is a global quest.

Smile Happy finishes second to Zandon in the Blue Grass Stakes!
Smile Happy finishes second to Zandon in the Blue Grass Stakes!

Smile Happy (KY) RunhappyPleasant Smile: (4:2-2-2): Smile Happy is my homeboy, frequenting my local track, Keeneland. That is where he had his first and last races. He won upon his first asking, in my hometown. In his next start he won a stakes race, awarding prep points at Churchill Downs. He received more points in a stakes at Fairgrounds and then again at Keeneland.

Messier (ON) Empire MakerCheckered Past: (6:3-3-0): Messier has raced at three California tracks. He was a winner by his second start and a stakes winner in his third race. He gathered up prep points in all three of his last graded stakes His jockey, Velazquez, has already won the KY Derby on three occasions. Messier has the most owners in this race and several of those owners have won prior KY Derby’s.

Crown Pride (JPN) Reach the CrownEmmy’s Pride: (4:3-0-0): Crown Pride is another international talent that comes to the KY Derby by winning the UAE Derby. Prior to that, he had won two of three races at different tracks throughout Japan. His Hyacinth Stakes race was a Japan Road To The Kentucky Derby race but his sixth place finish was not enough to qualify for prep points.

Charge It (KY) TapitI’ll Take Charge: (3:1-2-0): Charge It is a beautiful gray horse. He has spent his whole career at Gulfstream. Lightly raced, he managed to get prep points in his final start, the Florida Derby. He shares trainer, Pletcher, who is a KY Derby winner.

Tiz the Bomb (KY) Hit It a Bomb Tiz the Key: (8:5-1-0): Tiz the Bomb has an experienced record with mostly exciting results. He is well suited for Churchill Downs, as that is where he started and six of his eight entries were at Kentucky tracks. All five of his wins were in KY. He was best in the Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland. Tiz the Bomb is a champ on the turf and the dirt. He earned prep points in his last two stakes starts.

Zandon (KY) UpstartMemories Prevail: (4:2-1-1): Zandon hits the board every time! Each of his races have been at different tracks. He raced twice in New York, then Louisiana and finally he made it to Keeneland. He was the winner of the Blue Grass Stakes. Zandon earned prep points for that win and his prior two stakes. His jockey, Prat, has won the KY Derby once before.

Pioneer of Medina (KY) Pioneerof the Nile Lights of Medina: (6:2-1-2): Pioneer of Medina is a shipper, having raced four tracks in three states. Starting at Monmouth he raced at Gulfstream and Tampa Bay before settling into Fair Grounds for his last three starts. He earned prep points in his two stakes races there. Additionally, he shares KY Derby winning trainer, Pletcher,

Taiba (KY) Gun Runner – Needmore Flattery:(2:2-0-0): Undefeated but lightly raced, Taiba, found success at Santa Anita. He won a maiden special weight, waiting to race until age three, this past March . By April, he won the Santa Anita Derby! Jockey, Smith, is a two time KY Derby winner. Taiba shares Messier’s trainer, Yakteen.

Simplification (FL) Not This Time Simply Confection: (7:3-1-2): Simply a Gulfstream Park runner, Simplification has performed well in all of his stakes races. He earned prep points in his last three starts. He shares his sire with Epicenter.

John Alexander Ortiz is working to win the Kentucky Derby with Barber Road!
John Alexander Ortiz is working to win the Kentucky Derby with Barber Road!

Barber Road (KY) Race DayEncounter: (8:2-4-1): My favorite gray for the KY Derby, Barber Road, has the nicest trainer. John Alexander Ortiz, spends a good deal of time training at Keeneland, as well as other tracks. He is always friendly with his fans and he is doing a fantastic job. His whole family helps out, including his sister who makes great social media clips. I like watching their Winner Of The Day productions! Barber Road won at Keeneland, breaking his maiden after an initial start in Virginia. At Churchill Downs, Barber Road has already finished first and second. Shipping to Oaklawn, he placed, showed and earned prep points in three graded stakes.

White Abarrio (KY) Race DayCatching Diamonds: (5:4-0-1): White Abarrio shares his sire and gray coat with Barber Road. At Gulfstream, White Abarrio has raced four times. Undefeated there, he won two KY Derby prep races. His only loss was at Churchill Downs, yet he was strong with a third place finish. He earned his first prep points in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, at the Downs. I would enjoy it if Tyler Gaffalione won his first KY Derby. I have met him at Keeneland. When I tweet out my photos of his winning races, he usually shares my tweets!

Cyberknife (KY) Gun RunnerAwesome Flower: (6:3-2-0) : Sharing a sire with Taiba, Cyberknife is making a homecoming at Churchill Downs. Cyberknife’s first two starts were at the Downs. He broke his maiden in his third race, at Fairgrounds, where he ran three times total. At Oaklawn, he won big! The Arkansas Derby awarded the prep points he needed. Cyberknife’s jockey/trainer combination won the KY Derby last year. Team Geroux and Cox may have back to back success.

Classic Causeway (KY) Giant’s CausewayPrivate World: (6:3-1-1): Classic Causeway’s grandsire was 1995 KY Derby winner, Thunder Gulch. Classic Causeway won his very first start, at the famed Saratoga track. His next race was the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland where he began a four race streak of collecting prep points in stakes races. He finished second at Churchill and then first, twice at Tampa Bay. His last start at Gulfstream, the Florida Derby, was surprisingly disappointing. Hopefully, he is back to his winning self.

Tawny Port wins the Lexington Stakes to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby!
Tawny Port wins the Lexington Stakes to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby!

Tawny Port (KY) Pioneerof the NileLivi Makenize: (5:3-1-0): Half-brother to Pioneer of Medina, Tawny Port is fresh of a win in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland! Tawny Port earned prep points in two of three prep stakes. He has frequented Kentucky racing with three entries at Turfway Park. He barely missed points in another stakes, finishing fifth in Fair Grounds Risen Star. Tawny Port is also trained by KY Derby winner, Cox.

Zozos (KY) MunningsPapa’s Forest: (3:2-1-0): Another, Cox trained horse, Zozos, did not start racing until age three. He won his first two starts and then finished second in the KY Derby prep race, the Louisiana Derby. He raced twice at Fair Grounds and once at Oaklawn Park. Sometimes these lightly raced thoroughbreds pack the biggest surprises. His morning-line odds look like he is more than a long shot.

Update – scratched-Ethereal Road (KY) Quality RoadSustained: (7:1-1-1): Ethereal Road is in good hands. Trained by four time KY Derby winner, Lukas. Lukas keeps a regular stable on the backside at Churchill Downs. When I was offered a surprise birthday barn tour he was so nice to my party, even posing for pictures with us. Ethereal Road, not surprisingly, started racing at Churchill. Following two starts there he shipped to Oaklawn, breaking his maiden and racing there thrice. In his third Oaklawn start, he earned his first prep points, in the Rebel. Then he raced both prep stakes at Keeneland. Ethereal Road received just enough points in the Lexington Stakes to secure his spot in the field of twenty.

Rich Strike(KY) Keen IceGold Strike: (7:1-0-3): Rich Strike is taking over post twenty, wearing saddletowel 21, after the scratching of Ethereal Road. Rich Strike has raced at four Kentucky tracks, including Keeneland and Churchill Downs. Rich Strike once shipped to Fair Grounds for his first stakes race. His last three starts were at Turfway Park, where he earned his prep points in two stakes races.

In conclusion, I have been entertained by and often amazed by the long Road To The Kentucky Derby. I am pleased with the diversity of the qualified field. My anticipation is overwhelming. I hope you have gathered some valuable information about the Kentucky Derby developments. You may use this story’s material for leisure and/or wagering. Feel free to share my website and social media sites with friends and racing fans. I appreciate my followers.

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