Top Kentucky Derby prep performances: 5 that thrived

It was 28 weeks ago when the road to the 2022 Kentucky Derby kicked off with Major General’s win in the Sept. 18 Iroquois Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. It ended Saturday with the $400,000 Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland.

Between those Kentucky bookends were an additional 46 points-paying prep races held around the globe for horses hoping to qualify for the 148th Kentucky Derby under the Twin Spires on May 7. Some produced standout efforts, others did not. Below are five of the best from the 2022 Triple Crown trail. 

1. Taiba, Santa Anita Derby (G1), April 9

The $1.7 million auction purchase put the racing world on notice when going from a six-furlong debut win on March 5 for Bob Baffert to taking down the Western region’s major Kentucky Derby prep five weeks later for new trainer Tim Yakteen.

In the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby, Taiba broke well but was eased off the pace entering the first turn by Hall of Famer Mike Smith. He proceeded to race three- to four-wide while stalking fractions of 22.75, 46.75 and 1:10.97 for six furlongs. The Gun Runner colt then took aim at the leaders leaving the second turn and when inside the sixteenth pole, surged past top Kentucky Derby prospect Messier to win going away by 2 1/2 lengths.

The final time on a fast track was a sharp 1:48.46. The effort returned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure, which is the co-highest this year for a 3-year-old going two turns this year. The Brisnet Speed Rating was 111, which is also the co-highest among sophomores. TimeformUS awarded a 125 on its scale, second-best in this year’s crop.

The son of Not This Time was outrun to the first turn by a pair of rivals, which left Joel Rosario content to secure a ground-saving trip along the rail stalking the leaders. Pacesetter Zozos set fractions of 23.27, 47.35 and 1:11.69 for six furlongs as Epicenter sat three lengths back in third.

As the field reached the quarter pole, Epicenter was finally tipped out some six wide for running room and with the mile split was reached in 1:36.16, he drew off for an authoritative 2 1/2-lengths victory.

The final time was 1:54.38, a new track record, but note the distance is limitedly run at Fair Grounds. Epicenter earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure, 101 Brisnet Speed Rating and 118 TimeformUS Speed Figure, which all rate near the top of this year’s preps.

Even more encouraging for the Derby is Epicenter proved the ability to sit off horses, take kickback and finish with a flourish. He is a prime candidate to become Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen’s first Kentucky Derby winner.

The Canadian-bred son of Empire Maker shot to the front under Hall of Famer John Velazquez and with two rivals pressing, set a pace of 23.24, 46.94 and 1:11.32 for six furlongs.

It would be all over from there. Messier kicked into high gear leaving the second turn, pulled away to lead by eight lengths at the furlong marker and continued to extend his advantage before crossing the wire a scintillating 15-length winner.

Messier completed 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.89. The effort earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure and 127 TimeformUS Speed Figure, which are the highest by a 3-year-old going two turns this season. The Brisnet Speed Rating of 108 trails only that of Taiba earned in the Santa Anita Derby.

4. Mo Donegal, Wood Memorial (G1), April 9

New York’s biggest prep has not had much of an impact on recent editions of the Kentucky Derby, but for those looking for an off-the-pace type at Churchill Downs this could be your colt.

In the 1 1/8-mile Wood, Mo Donegal found himself last of eight after Early Voting took the field through an opening half mile in 47.75 seconds. The Uncle Mo colt then began to chip into Early Voting’s lead on the second turn under Joel Rosario, but was still some 4 3/4 lengths adrift after six furlongs in 1:11.59.

Turning into the stretch Mo Donegal deftly cut the corner along the rail to take aim at Early Voting, slipped outside and then ultimately wore down that stubborn foe to win by a neck for trainer Todd Pletcher.

The winning time on a track rated as fast was 1:47.96. Mo Donegal and Early Voting each earned 96 Beyer Speed Figures, which trails only the numbers earned by Taiba, Epicenter, Messier and Zandon's Blue Grass win.

Brisnet was particularly impressed as it assigned a 111 Speed Rating, which ties with Taiba as the highest in the crop. Yet what really stood out was how Mo Donegal finished.

He completed the final three-eighths of a mile in 35.4 seconds and the final furlong in 11.8 seconds, which returned a much-the-best 121 Late Pace Rating from Brisnet.

To put that into perspective, according to Horse Racing Nation’s Super Screener, in the last 30 runnings of the Kentucky Derby, only Maximum Security with a 123 entered the classic with a higher Late Pace Rating.

5. Zandon, Blue Grass (G1), April 9

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, Zandon is the other high-profile closer in the prospective Kentucky Derby field.

In the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass at Keeneland, Zandon and Flavien Prat settled well off the pace early in an 11-horse field and then found themselves dead last when six furlongs were completed in 1:12.72.

It was then the son of Upstart began to pick off horses when wheeling into the stretch and deftly splitting foes at the top of the lane. With only favorite Smile Happy left to contend with late, Zandon spurted clear to cross the wire a 2 1/2-length winner.

The winning time was 1:50.35 on a track rated as good. The effort earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, 119 TimeformUS Speed Rating and a 103 Brisnet Speed Rating.

Zandon took a nice step forward in his second start as a 3-year-old and would seem primed for a career-best effort come the first Saturday in May. The concern is since the current points system for the Kentucky Derby was instituted, it has been dominated by those that are either setting the pace or close afoot.