On the whole, much of the fun leading up to the 2022 Kentucky Derby Odds are the prep races. These graded races will run from February 19 through April 9, 2022. No factor is more significant about what goes into the Kentucky Derby odds. Consider that the winner of a prep race immediately vaults to the top of the Kentucky Derby odds. Casual gamblers often ignore the prep races. But handicappers looking for an edge can find it by closely following the prep races. For newer horseplayers, it is a great way to gain knowledge quickly.
2021 Kentucky Derby – Top Sleepers
| Date: | Saturday, May 7, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Location: | Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky |
| TV Coverage: | NBC |
2022 Kentucky Derby Odds:
The 2022 Kentucky Derby Prep Races
First Leg
Risen Star – 1 1/8 miles – $400,000 – Grade 2 – Fair Grounds – February 19
Rebel – 1 1/16 miles – $1 million – Grade 2 – Oaklawn – February 26
Fountain of Youth – 1 1/16 miles – $400,000 – Grade 2 – Gulfstream – March 12
Tampa Bay Derby 1 1/16 miles – $350,000 – Grade 2 – Tampa Bay – March 5
Gotham – 1 mile – $300,000 – Grade 3 – Aqueduct – March 5
San Felipe – 1 1/16 miles – $400,000 – Grade 2 – Santa Anita – March 12
Sunland Derby – 1 1/8 miles – $800,000 – Grade 3 – Sunland Park – March 27
Second Leg
Louisiana Derby 1 3/16 miles – $1 million – Grade 2 – Fair Grounds – March 26
UAE Derby – 1 3/16 miles – $2 million – Grade 2 – Meydan – March 26
Florida Derby – 1 1/8 miles – $1.1 million – Grade 1 – Gulfstream – April 2
Arkansas Derby 1 1/8 miles – $1.25 million – Grade 1 – Oaklawn Park – April 2
Jeff Ruby – 1 1/8 miles – $600,000 – Grade 3 – Turfway – April 2
Blue Grass Stakes – 1 1/8 miles – $1 million – Grade 2 – Keeneland – April 9
Santa Anita Derby – 1 1/8 miles – $1 million – Grade 1 – Santa Anita – April 9
Wood Memorial – 1 1/8 miles – $1 million – Grade 2 – Aqueduct – April 9
Overall, the second leg of the Kentucky Derby prep races offshore betting garners the most attention. The winners of these races always vault to the top of the board as favorites to win the Kentucky Derby. The second leg draws the best possible Kentucky Derby contenders with large purses and high grades.
Namely, the Santa Anita Derby rates as one of the biggest prep races on the calendar. Also popular are the Arkansas Derby Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial, and Louisiana Derby. The UAE Derby is a newer event, but its $2 million purse guarantees a great 2022 Kentucky Derby Odds card.
Supplementing the excitement of prep season is the vast increase in betting handles for these races.
Top Contenders
From this point, let’s look at some of the top contenders for the 2022 Kentucky Derby.
Jack Christopher 28/1
So far, Jack Christopher is off to an impressive start with two wins in his first two starts. The colt is coming off a win at the Grade 1 Champagne on October 2, 2021. Chad C Brown is the trainer and one of the most respected in the game.
Zandon 30/1
Yet another Chad C Brown-trained horse is Zandon. In his first start, Zandon posted a win in an MSW race on October 9, 2021. Following that was a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Remsen on December 4, 2021.