Keeneland Select Derby Prep Hotlist - January, 29, 2022

Keeneland Select Derby Prep Hoitlist

Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022

By Matt Shifman and Bob Ehalt

The $750,000 Southwest (G3) – Oaklawn Park - Race 9

The Southwest (G3) drew a full field of twelve including the top 5 finishers from the Smarty Jones which was run four weeks ago to kick off the Kentucky Derby trail at Oaklawn Park. The Southwest field will vie for a purse of $750,000 and a share of the Derby qualifying points of 10-4-2-1 to the top four finishers.

(2) Dash Attack was the winner of that Smarty Jones with a powerful late rally that led to an almost three-length victory. The son of Munnings is one of two horses that is the winner of his first two career starts. He is part of trainer Kenny McPeek’s barn that is loaded with Kentucky Derby prospects. Dash Attack also broke his maiden at Oaklawn Park. In the recent Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool 2, Dash Attack closed at odds of 34-1. (10) Newgrange is the other unbeaten horse in the field with a maiden win at Del Mar followed by a decisive front-end victory in the Sham (G3) at Santa Anita. Trainer Bob Baffert loves to ship to Oaklawn Park for these big purse 3-year-old races. Because Baffert is currently ineligible to enter horses at Churchill Downs, Newgrange is not eligible for Derby points and was not listed in the KDFW. Regardless of that, the son of Violence is a serious win contender in here. John Velazquez will travel to Arkansas to stay on board. (8) Barber Road has started five times with two wins and two seconds. He was second in his last two starts in stakes including a place-finish in the Smarty Jones where he ran into traffic in that 13-horse field. Ricardo Santana Jr. will get on board. (7) Ignitis has run seven times for D. Wayne Lukas including a third in the Smarty Jones after going six-wide heading into the stretch. He hit the board in 6 out of 7 starts.

Betting strategy:  Exacta box: 2, 10. Trifecta part-wheel: 2, 10 with 2, 6, 7, 8, 10 with 2, 6, 7, 8, 10.