Prospect Watch: Here are 5 to follow through Saturday

Four weeks out from the first Saturday in May, there’s a strong chance we’ll see the 2022 Kentucky Derby winner in action this weekend. And believe it or not, there’s an outside chance we’ll see the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner take the stage as well.

Juvenile racing kicks off in Florida and Kentucky this week with intriguing maiden special weights at Gulfstream Park and Keeneland. While early-season 2-year-old sprints typically aren't stuffed with future Derby starters, you never know when an exception might pop up.

Keeneland also is hosting competitive maiden special weights for 3-year-olds, so let’s highlight five of the most interesting names slated to debut during busy week:

Thursday

Gulfstream Park Race 2: Maiden special weight (4 1/2 furlongs, 1:33 p.m. EDT)

No. 5 Cajun Hope

Age: 2

Pedigree: Cajun Breeze–Pop Pop’s Hope, by Valid Trefaire

Purchase price: N/A

Trainer: Michael Yates

There’s plenty to like about Cajun Hope when it comes to his pedigree, trainer and workouts. The gray juvenile is a son of Cajun Breeze, who sires 18 percent winners from first-time starters. His trainer is Michael Yates, who strikes at a solid 16 percent rate with first-time starters. And Cajun Hope has shown speed in the mornings, even breezing a bullet three furlongs in 35.6 seconds at Gulfstream last week.

Cajun Hope was produced by Pop Pop’s Hope, whose previous nine starters all have visited the winner’s circle. Five of them won as juveniles, so there’s a good chance Cajun Hope will bring Pop Pop’s Hope’s produce record to a perfect 10 winners from 10 starters.

Friday

Keeneland Race 1: Maiden special weight (4 1/2 furlongs, 1:00 p.m.)

No. 4 Dominicana

Age: 2

Pedigree: Uncle Mo–Chattertown, by Speightstown

Purchase price: $300,000

Trainer: Wesley Ward

Trainer Wesley Ward long has been dominant in Keeneland’s early-season juvenile races, so he’ll have every chance to start the 2022 spring meet on a winning note with Dominicana. Sold for $300,000 as a yearling, the beautifully bred filly is a daughter of Uncle Mo out of the Speightstown mare Chattertown, previously the dam of Jim Dandy (G2) winner Laoban.

Dominicana has turned in several encouraging three-furlong workouts at Keeneland, including a sharp 36.2-second clocking on March 26. With Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in the saddle, Dominicana appears poised to conquer male rivals in her career debut.

Saturday, April 9

Keeneland Race 1: Maiden special weight (1 1/16 miles, 12:30 p.m.)

No. 10 Trumpets Blare

Age: 3

Pedigree: Pioneerof the Nile–Sound the Trumpets, by Bernardini

Purchase price: N/A

Trainer: Ian Wilkes

Trumpets Blare is likely debuting too late to join the Triple Crown scene; he hasn’t even been nominated to the three-race series. But keep your eyes on this dark bay colt because he’s bred to be a star during the summer and fall.

A son of Kentucky Derby runner-up Pioneerof the Nile (the sire of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah), Trumpets Blare was produced by the unraced mare Sound the Trumpets, a daughter of Preakness winner Bernardini. Sound the Trumpets already has achieved success as a broodmare, foaling Discovery winner and Travers (G1) third-place finisher Miles D.

Trainer Ian Wilkes doesn’t often saddle winning first-time starters, so Trumpets Blare is unlikely to be cranked for a peak effort on debut. But down the road, look for Trumpets Blare to develop in a positive direction.

Keeneland Race 2: Maiden special weight (seven furlongs, 1:03 p.m.)

No. 13 Maqamat

Age: 3

Pedigree: Into Mischief–Acting Class, by Distorted Humor

Purchase price: $700,000

Trainer: Jeff Engler

Maqamat isn’t guaranteed to compete on Saturday; the bay colt is the first also-eligible entrant in an overflow field. But if Maqamat draws in, he warrants respect.

After all, Maqamat is a son of three-time leading sire Into Mischief, whose progeny win at a 16 percent rate on debut. Maqamat sold for a hefty $700,000 as a yearling and has turned in encouraging workouts at Palm Meadows, including four furlongs in 48 seconds on March 25. Trainer Jeff Engler isn’t a frequent winner with first-time starters (striking at only a 5 percent rate), but perhaps Maqamat can be one of the winning 5 percent.

No. 14 Exact Estimate

Age: 3

Pedigree: Into Mischief–Magic Union, by Dixie Union

Purchase price: $375,000

Trainer: Chad Brown

A Triple Crown nominee conditioned by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, Exact Estimate has the potential to be something special. The son of Into Mischief has been rattling off fast half-mile workouts with regularity over the slow surface at Payson Park, including a bullet 48.2-second clocking on March 19.

Exact Estimate sold for $375,000 as a yearling and is a half-brother to two-time graded stakes winner Tizamagician, so expectations will be high when Exact Estimate debuts. That might not be on Saturday (he’s ranked second on the also-eligible list), but when the time comes, look for Exact Estimate to produce a competitive debut effort. Brown wins at an excellent 20 percent rate with first-time starters, and the presence of high-percentage jockey Flavien Prat for Saturday’s assignment is a positive sign.