By Richard Rosenblatt

The Fountain of Youth. The San Felipe. The Gotham. The John Battaglia Memorial. And far, far more.

An enormous dose of stakes races that includes 4 Kentucky Derby preps, three Kentucky Oaks preps, and the Santa Anita Handicap, is lined up for Saturday. From the Huge A to Turfway, from Gulfstream to Santa Anita, the 2022 racing season strikes into a better gear this month.

Emmanuel- Picture courtesy of Ryan Thompson-Coglianese Pictures

As usually, the Derby preps take heart stage, significantly the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park. A discipline of 11 is ready with Antonio Sano-trained Simplification the 5-2 favourite over Corridor of Fame coach Todd Pletcher’s Emmanuel (3-1).

The San Felipe (G2) has a discipline of seven led by San Vicente (G2) winner Forbidden Kingdom because the slight 8-5 favourite over Bob Baffert-trained Doppelganger at 9-5. The Gotham (G3) drew a discipline of 10 with Corridor of Fame coach Steve Asmussen’s Morello the 3-1 favourite with Pletcher’s Dean’s Record at 7-2 and Bob Baffert’s Rockefeller at 4-1.

These three Derby-qualifiers supply factors of 50-20-10-5 to the primary 4 finishers (Baffert’s horses are ineligible to earn factors because of the coach’s suspension by Churchill Downs).

Then there’s the John Battaglia at Turfway Park over the all-weather observe. A discipline of 12 is entered, and coach Kenny McPeek’s Tiz the Bomb is the 5-2 favourite over Stolen Base and Bloodline, each at 7-2. Derby factors are 10-4-2-1 to the primary 4 finishers.

On TV

CNBC will broadcast the San Felipe and Fountain of Youth from 4-6 p.m. ET. FOX Sports activities’ “America’s Day on the Races” will broadcast stay racing from 4:30-7 p.m. ET.

Put up instances for the Derby preps are 5:27 p.m. (Gotham), 5:30 p.m. (San Felipe), 5:42 p.m. (Fountain of Youth), 8:14 p.m. (John Battaglia).

Oaks preps

The Oaks preps are the Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream (50-20-10-5), the Busher Invitational on the Huge A (50-20-10-5), and the Cincinnati Trophy at Turfway (10-4-2-1). On Sunday, there’s one other Oaks factors qualifier – the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel (50-20-10-5).

Huge ‘Cap

DERBY PREPS

Aqueduct Racetrack – Picture courtesy of Nyra.com

Aqueduct

$300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3), 1 mile, 3-year-olds

Put up time: 5:27 p.m. (race 10)

Unbeaten Morello (2-for-2) is the 3-1 favourite for Corridor of Fame coach Steve Asmussen. The chestnut colt gained the Jimmy Winkfield, a neighborhood prep for the Gotham, by 5 lengths in his earlier begin.

Jose Lezcano has the decision leaving from publish 9.

The ten-horse discipline additionally features a pair of Todd Pletcher colts, Dean’s Record (7-2) and Golden Code (12-1) and Bob Baffert’s Rockefeller (4-1).

Santa Anita

$400,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds

Put up time 5:30 p.m. (race 6)

Armagnac (5-1) and Doppelganger (9-5) are within the discipline however ineligible to gather Derby as a result of they’re educated by Bob Baffert, who’s suspended from competing in 2022 Derby by Churchill Downs.

“He’s as fast as they arrive,” Mandella stated of Forbidden Kingdom.

The San Felipe is taken into account the native prep for the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 9.

Gulfstream Park

Gulfstream Park – Picture courtesy of Joe DiOrio / BloodHorse

$400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), 1 1 /16 miles, 3-year-olds

Put up time: 5:42 p.m. (race 12)

The Florida-bred colt completed second within the Holy Bull (G3) in his final out and gained the Mucho Macho Man in his 3-year-old debut, each at Gulfstream.

Pletcher sends out second selection Emmanuel at 3-1. Emmanuel has gained each of his begins, most lately a 4 ½-length victory in an allowance optionally available claimer on Dec. 11. Luis Saez rides from publish 8.

The 12-horse discipline is a troublesome one, with Rattle N Roll (8-1) set for his 3-year-old debut for coach Kenny McPeek. The colt gained the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland again in October. He can be ridden by Mind Hernandez, Jr., from publish 6.

Additionally within the discipline are Road Sense winner Howling Time (15-1), and Saratoga Particular (G2) winner Excessive Oak (8-1).

Emmanuel is one in all a number of Derby contenders for Pletcher.

“We’ll see how we do within the Fountain of Youth and take it from there,” Pletcher stated.

Turfway Park – Picture courtesy of americasbestracing

Turfway Park

$125,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, all-weather, 3-year-olds

Put up time: 8:14 p.m. (race 5)

Tiz the Bomb seems to bounce again from a seventh-place end within the Holy Bull (G3) for coach Kenny McPeek. In a discipline of 12, Tiz the Bomb is the 5-2 favourite, with Bloodline and Stolen Base every at 7-2.

The race is the native prep for the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) on April 2.

As a 2-year-old, Tiz the Bomb gained the Bourbon Stakes (G2) and was the runner-up within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

Jockey Alex Achard will journey leaving from publish 10.

A have a look at another stakes race on Saturday:

AQUEDUCT

$250,000 Busher Invitational, 1 mile, 3-year-old fillies

Radio Days comes into the race with two victories and a second-place end within the Ahead Gal (G3) at Gulfstream on Feb. 5.

$200,000 Tom Idiot Handicap (G3), 6 furlongs, 4 and up

Put up time: 1:52 p.m. (race 3)

He comes into the race off a Gravesend Stakes at Aqueduct in December. Chateau gained this race final 12 months.

GULFSTREAM PARK

Along with the Fountain of Youth, there are seven different graded stakes races on the cardboard. Right here’s a have a look at a few of them:

$200,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2), 1 mile, 3-year-old fillies

Put up time: 2:40 p.m. (race 6)

An evenly matched discipline of seven is entered, with Brad Cox-trained Lady With a Dream the 3-1 favourite off her win within the Ahead Gal in her final outing.

Todd Pletcher sends out Elegant Version at 7-2 and Candy Dani Lady is 4-1 for coach Carlo Vaccarezza.

$200,000 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), 1 mile, 4 and up

Put up time: 4:40 p.m. (race 10)

Speaker’s Nook is the 5-2 favourite over Todd Pletcher’s Fearless (3-1) in a discipline of 9. Additionally working are Diamond Oops (6-1), Endorsed (6-1), and Ny Visitors (9-2).

Speaker’s Nook, educated by Corridor of Famer Invoice Mott, drew publish 3 and could have Junior Alvarado aboard. The 4-year-old colt comes into the race off a victory over Fearless within the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream on Jan. 29.

$200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2), 1 3/8 miles, turf, 4 and up

Put up time: 5:10 p.m. (race 11)

Abaan seeks a fourth straight win when he takes on 10 rivals because the 8-5 favourite for Todd Pletcher. The 5-year-old gelding drew the rail and can be ridden by Luis Saez.

Pletcher will saddle two others within the race – Shamrocket (6-1) and Gloucestershire (8-1). Abaan gained the W.L. McKnight Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream on Jan. 29 and earlier than that he took the 2-mile H. Allen Jerkens Stakes.

“I believe he discovered his specialty in these marathon turf races,’’ Pletcher stated. Now he’s proven that he can go two miles, after which he backed up and ran effectively. It looks like what he enjoys essentially the most.”

Santa Anita Park (picture by Jim Safford).

SANTA ANITA

$200,000 San Carlos Stakes (G2), 7 furlong, 4 and up

Put up time: 4:28 p.m. (race 4)

Bob Baffert-trained Cezanne is the slight 5-2 favourite over stablemate Eight Rings (3-1) and Craig Lewis-trained Brickyard Journey (3-1).

Flavien Prat has the decision on Cezanne, whereas John Velazquez rides Eight Rings.

Cezanne seems to rebound off a third-place end within the Palos Verdes Stakes (G3) final trip. Eight Rings is in search of his first stakes win since taking the 2019 American Pharoah Stakes (G1). He ran third in his earlier three races – the Native Diver (G3), the San Antonio (G2), and the San Pasqual (G2) in his 5-year-old debut on Feb. 5.

$500,000 Beholder Mile (G1), 1 mile, 4 and up fillies and mares

Put up time: 7 p.m. (race 9)

A compact discipline of 5 fillies and mares line up with Bob Baffert’s As Time Goes By the 4-5 favourite. Flavien Prat will journey.

Envoutante, educated by Kenny McPeek, is the 8-5 second selection.

As Time Goes By comes into the race off a pair of Grade 3 wins – the Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos to shut out 2021, and the La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita to open her 5-year-old marketing campaign. She ran second to Swiss Skydiver within the 2021 Beholder Mile.

$500,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1), 1 mile, turf, 4 and up

Put up time: 7:29 p.m. (race 10)

Educated by Phil D’Amato, Rely Once more ended a five-race dropping streak with a victory within the Thunder Highway Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita on Feb. 5 in his 7-year-old debut.

Area Traveller, educated by Brendan Walsh, comes into the race off a 3rd within the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) and will get the providers of jockey Jamie Spencer.

$650,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1), 1 ¼ miles, 4 and up

Put up time 8 p.m. (race 11)

Categorical Practice – Picture Courtesy of Benoit Picture

Categorical Practice is rolling into this one off a formidable victory within the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) final month.

Educated by John Shirreffs, the 5-year-old son of Union Rags is the 8-5 favourite in a discipline of eight. Stilleto Boy is the second selection at 5-2.

Categorical Practice completed off his 4-year-old marketing campaign with a nostril victory within the San Antonio Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 earlier than his profitable 5-year-old debut.

Corridor of Fame rider Victor Espinoza has the decision leaving from publish 6 as Categorical Practice seems to avenge a second-place end in final 12 months’s Huge ‘Cap.

Stilleto Boy has run with one of the best over the previous 12 months and completed third within the Pegasus World Cup (G1) on Jan. 29. Educated by Ed Moger, Jr., the 4-year-old son of Shackleford can be ridden by John Velazquez.

In his final three begins in 2021, Stilleto Boy was second within the Superior Once more (G1), fifth within the Breeders’ Cup Traditional (G1) and third within the Malibu Stakes (G1)

Others within the discipline embrace Brad Cox-trained Warrant – third within the Louisiana Stakes (G3) behind stablemate Mandaloun – and Bob Baffert-trained Spielberg, overwhelmed 6 ½ lengths by Categorical Practice within the San Pasqual.

Through the years whereas working at The Related Press, Wealthy Rosenblatt grew to become a well-recognized identify to legions of the horse racing followers and trade insiders along with his award-winning articles on horse racing and his tales from the backstretch.

Along with being an astute observer of sports activities, Rosenblatt is the co-author of The All-American Chili Cookbook. His work has been seen in nearly each publication on this planet, together with The New York Instances, The Washington Put up and Time Journal.