Keeneland Select Derby Prep Hotlists - April 2

Keeneland Select Derby Prep Hotlists

Saturday, April 2, 2022

By Matt Shifman and Bob Ehalt

The $1,250,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) – Oaklawn Park - Race 12

The Arkansas Derby (G1) drew a field of nine including the filly Secret Oath who will take on the boys for the first time. The field will vie for a purse of $1.25 million and a share of the Derby qualifying points of 100-40-20-10 to the top four finishers.

(6) Secret Oath has found the right field to tackle the Kentucky Derby trail as a filly. It is a field that has only a few stakes wins between them. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas is a Hall of Famer for many reasons with one of them being the victory of the filly Winning Colors in the Derby. Secret Oath is in fine form right now using an impressive turn of foot to win a pair of stakes races at Oaklawn by open lengths. (9) We the People is unbeaten in two starts for Brad Cox and is the up and coming 3-year-old in this field where most of the others have had plenty of chances on the Derby trail already. His speed figures are better than most. (4) Doppelganger is now eligible for Derby points since being moved from Bob Baffert to his former assistant trainer Tim Yakteen. The blinkers come off following his second-place finish behind Forbidden Kingdom in the San Felipe (G2). (3) Barber Road ran in all three of Oaklawn’s Derby trail points races and has a pair of seconds and a third. Most recently he used a late rally to finish a half-length behind the winner in the Rebel (G2).  Betting strategy:  Win: 6. Exacta box: 3, 4, 6, 9. Trifecta box: 3, 4, 6, 9.

The $1 million Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1), Gulfstream Park, Race 14

14th race – (2) Classic Causeway has emerged as a major Kentucky Derby contender. With his keen early speed and an inside post he may not look back here on a speed-favoring track. (3) Simplification looked good winning the Florida Derby by more than three lengths and should be the main rival in a well-matched field. (7) White Abarrio has enough early speed to challenge the top pick and will be dangerous here on his best try. (9) O Captain drew a bad post but has some late kick and should be passing horses in the stretch. With Joel Rosario aboard, he could figure in the exotics at this distance. Betting strategy: 2 to win, place. Exacta and trifecta box: 2-3-7-9.

The $600,000  Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), Turfway Park, Race 12

12th race – (7) Tiz the Bomb does his best running on turf and synthetics and already owns a stakes win over the course. Seems well-spotted to make it two in a row here. (12) Blackadder makes his first start away from Bob Baffert and should be formidable despite the outside post. Like the top pick he was a stakes winner on synthetics in his last start. (1) Royal Spirit has yet to race on synthetics but has speed and has raced well enough on turf to be a factor from the rail. (2) Stolen Base was a neck behind the top pick last time and figures to be a main threat once again in this field. Betting strategy: 7 to win, place. Exacta and trifecta box: 1-2-7-12