Kentucky Derby 2022: Filling in some of the blanks

Now that the Kentucky Derby points preps are mostly completed and the leaderboard is almost complete, attention in the next three weeks or so turns to fine-tuning the details.

Who will ride whom? Who will opt out, and why?

It's still early days, but Horse Racing Nation did learn Monday of one jockey conflict that has been resolved.

Florent Geroux has been the rider for two Brad Cox contenders, Cyberknife for his last four starts and Zozos for his last two. Geroux's agent, Doug Bredar, said he will be aboard Cyberknife on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

Geroux and Cyberknife won the Arkansas Derby (G1) last out with a 2 3/4 win over Barber Road. "We like him a lot," Anderson said.

No word yet on who might ride Zozos. Colby Hernandez rode him in his debut, a maiden win in January at Fair Grounds. He never has ridden in a Kentucky Derby.

Another question mark concerns Joel Rosario, who rode Mo Donegal in Saturday's Wood Memorial (G3) win. He also rode Epicenter in 4 of 6 starts, winning the Gun Runner, Risen Start (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2).

In Mo Donegal's previous two starts, he was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., and trainer Todd Pletcher told Daily Racing Form he expects that will be the case for the Kentucky Derby.

Rosario's agent, Ron Anderson, told HRN he could not yet confirm Rosario's mount, but Pletcher told DRF he expected Rosario would return to Epicenter.

Jose Ortiz also might have a choice to make. He rode Simplification to wins in the Florida Derby (G1) and the Fountain of Youth (G2) for trainer Antonio Sano, and he was on Early Voting for all three of his starts, winning the Withers (G3) and finishing second in the Wood Memorial.

Agent Jimmy Riccio said it is to soon to make a call on who Ortiz might ride in the Derby.