Scully inspects storylines surrounding final eight major Kentucky Derby qualifiers

Mar 24, 2022 James Scully/TwinSpires.com

The Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series will ramp
up over the next three weekends as eight major qualifiers will be offered. All
offer the maximum of 170 points to the top four finishers (100-40-20-10), and the
final round of prep races will determine favoritism for the 148th running of
the Kentucky Derby on May 7.

Fields are set for the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2)
and UAE Derby (G2) this Saturday, and probables have been released for the
remaining races.

Let’s examine the top storylines surrounding each race
presently.

A smashing 2 3/4-length winner of the Feb. 19 Risen Star
(G2) at Fair Grounds, Epicenter has
been installed as the 7-5 morning line favorite in the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby (G2). The bay colt will bring high speed to his final Kentucky Derby
tune-up, dominating the action wire-to-wire in the Risen Star, and Joel Rosario
rides.

The Kentucky Derby is the one big North American race to
elude Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who is winless from 21 previous attempts, and Epicenter figures
to be a top contender at Churchill Downs with a Louisiana Derby victory.

A quartet of Japanese runners will seek to provide the Kentucky
Derby with an international flair in the 1 3/16-mile UAE Derby (G2) at Meydan. Sekifu, a fast-closing second in the Saudi Derby (G3) on Feb. 26, merits serious respect, and Combustion also brings solid credentials following his triumph in the Feb. 20 Hyacinth S. at Tokyo. Crown
Pride and Reiwa Homare complete
the Japanese contingent.

UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) victor Azure Coast and American-based Gilded
Age, third when opening his sophomore season in the Withers S. (G3) for
Bill Mott, are among the other contenders of note.

Only three fillies have captured the Kentucky Derby, including Winning Colors (1988). She was saddled by the legendary D. Wayne Lukas, a
four-time Kentucky Derby winner who can get back into the spotlight via Secret Oath in the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby (G1).

A romping winner of a pair of Kentucky Oaks qualifiers at
Oaklawn Park, Secret Oath looms as a probable favorite in her first start
against males. Her expected challengers include Rebel (G2) winner Un Ojo and
third Barber Road; San Felipe (G2)
runner-up Doppelganger; We the People, who improved to 2-for-2 when crushing local allowance foes on March 12; and
impressive Fair Grounds allowance scorer Cyberknife.

The 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park sets up as
a three-horse showdown. Simplification
and White Abarrio, convincing winners of the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Holy Bull S. (G3) respectively, are the most
accomplished, and Charge It brings
all the promise.

A gray son of Tapit, Charge It will jump straight to stakes
competition, and a two-turn race, following an 8 1/2-length maiden tally in his
second career start on Feb. 12. Many consider the exciting colt to be Todd
Pletcher’s top Kentucky Derby contender.

Tiz the Bomb and Stolen Base, separated by a neck in the
March 5 John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park, are both expected back for the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3). The 1 1/8-mile event may also attract El Camino Real
Derby (G3) winner Blackadder, who
will make his next start under the direction of Rodolphe Brisset.

Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Sam F. Davis (G3) winner Classic Causeway, who presently tops the
Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 66 qualifying points, is expected to stretch
out to 1 1/8 miles for the Blue Grass (G1). He’s won both races this year on
the front end for Brian Lynch and Irad Ortiz Jr.

The Keeneland fixture is a target for Smile Happy, the favorite among individual interests in the first four pools of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. The Grade 2-winning colt is eligible
to improve upon a second in the Risen Star (G2).

Rebel runner-up Ethereal
Road and Risen Star third Zandon
are expected to add further interest.

The 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby (G1) will feature an exciting
matchup between Forbidden Kingdom and
Messier.

Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Forbidden Kingdom
has been brilliant recording runaway wins in the San Felipe (G2) and San
Vicente (G2), but questions surrounding his threshold for longer distances
remain. He’ll face a speedy rival in Messier, who exits a 15-length,
wire-to-wire win in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) on Feb. 6.

Messier, who was formerly trained by Bob Baffert, has been
transferred to Tim Yakteen and is now eligible to earn Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

A pair of unbeaten colts, Withers (G3) winner Early Voting and Gotham (G3) hero Morello, are among the principals for
the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct. Remsen (G2) winner Mo Donegal, third in the Holy Bull (G3), will also receive support.