First Look: 3 Kentucky Derby preps lead 8 weekend stakes

The promise and conjecture of the last seven months shifts to a more serious stage as the biggest Kentucky Derby qualifiers begin this weekend.

With 100-40-20-10 points to the top four qualifiers, Saturday's Louisiana Derby (G1) and UAE Derby (G2) provide a ticket to the starting gate in May for the first- and second-place finishers. Third-place points could be enough to tip the balance for those in the 20-point area. Also in play for U.S. runners is Sunday's Sunland Park Derby (G3), with 50 points for the winner.

The road to the Kentucky Oaks picks up as well, with the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and the Sunland Park Oaks.

Most of these races already have been drawn. Here is a look at the likely fields.

Kentucky Derby qualifiers

Louisiana Derby (G1), Saturday, Fair Grounds, 1 3/16 miles, 3-year-olds, 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby points

Epicenter – second on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, with 64 points –  is the 7-5 morning-line favorite after his gate-to-wire win in the Risen Star (G2). His only loss in his last four starts came when Call Me Midnight (also entered here, at 6-1) caught him at the wire in the Lecomte (G3). Pioneer of Medina faded to finish fourth in the Risen Star, his first stakes start, and is the second choice here. Rattle N Roll also is at 6-1 after he followed his Breeders' Futurity (G1) win with a sixth-place finish in the Fountain of Youth (G2).

UAE Derby (G2), Meydan, Saturday, 1 3/16 miles, 3-year-olds, 100-40-20-10 points

The U.S. has a three-horse contingent here. Pinehurst, fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, started the year with a loss to Forbidden Kingdom in the San Vicente (G2) before heading to the Mideast and winning the Saudi Derby (G3). (As a Bob Baffert trainee, he is ineligible to earn Derby points.) Gilded Age's third-place finish in the Withers (G3) was his first start since breaking his maiden in November. Since finishing ninth in the Cecil B. DeMille (G3), Get Back Goldie has raced twice at Meydan – sixth in his last out, a win before that.

Sunland Park Derby (G3), Sunland Park, Sunday, 1 1/8 miles, 3-year-olds, 50-20-10-5 points

Los Angeles Futurity (G2) winner Slow Down Andy will ship to Sunland Park to challenge Mine That Bird Derby winner Straight Up G. Four other runners from the Mine That Bird also return in this race. Bye Bye Bobby, Pepper Spray and Chrome King are the only other stakes winners in the field. Only Slow Down Andy has a graded-stakes win.

Kentucky Oaks qualifiers

Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), Fair Grounds, Saturday, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-old fillies, 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks points

Champion 2-year-old filly Echo Zulu looks to go 5-for-5 with her 2022 debut. Turnerloose had a promising start on turf last year but finished last in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Switching to dirt, she won the Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds last month. Favor has won both of her starts for Todd Pletcher this year and will try her first graded stakes.

Sunland Park Oaks (listed), Sunland Park, Sunday, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-old fillies, 50-20-10-5 points

Miss Hard Knocks is 3-for-3 this year, with wins in two black-type stakes at Sunland. Her last win was in the Island Fashion, and she will be joined here by five other starters from that race. Queen of Thorns has 4 Kentucky Oaks points from her second-place finish in the Las Virgenes (G3), where she was beaten 13 lengths by Adare Manor.

Other graded stakes

New Orleans Classic (G2), Fair Grounds, Saturday, 1 1/8 miles, 4-year-olds and up

After being sidelined since April, Proxy made his first start of the year with a 3 3/4-length allowance win at Fair Grounds. Olympiad has won three of his last four starts, including the Mineshaft (G3) last out. Super Stock – last year's Arkansas Derby (G1) winner – finished in last place in the Razorback last out (G3).

Muniz Memorial Classic (G2) presented by Horse Racing Nation, Fair Grounds, Saturday, 1 1/8 miles (turf), 4-year-olds and up

Cavalry Charge's win in the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3) was his first start in a graded stakes. Four of the runners he defeated also are entered here. Another Mystery, 3-for-7 last year, started 2022 by winning the John B. Connally Turf Cup (G3) in a dead heat. Sacred Life won the Knickerbocker (G3) and was runner-up in the Seabiscuit (G2) before finishing sixth in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1).

Santa Ana Stakes (G3), Santa Anita, Saturday, 1 1/4 miles (turf), fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Going To Vegas was runner-up by a half length in the March 5 Buena Vista (G3), her first start since finishing 11th of 12 in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. The third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishers in the Buena Vista also are possible here. Niege Blanche's win in the Astra (G3) was her second win in a row and the fourth in her last six starts.

Editor's note: Horse Racing Nation is a media partner for Louisiana Derby day at Fair Grounds and is presenting sponsor of the Muniz Classic.