Kentucky Derby Futures Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2022 Kentucky Derby Futures Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2022 Kentucky Derby is set for May 7 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Kentucky Derby Futures Preview
- Race: Kentucky Derby
- Purse: $3 million
- Track: Churchill Downs
- Date: May 7, 2022
- Post Time: 6:57 PM (ET)
- Live: Kentucky Derby Futures Odds: Click Here
2022 Kentucky Derby Futures Handicapping
Every year almost 400 thoroughbred horses are nominated to run in the Kentucky Derby, but ultimately no more than 20 of those will make it to the starting gate in May.
From mid-September to mid-April, nominated horses will run in a series of qualifying races dubbed “The Road to the Kentucky Derby.” There are 48 races in all, most of which are run in the US, but also include a handful of races in the UK, Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
Typically any one horse will run in 1 to 4 of these races, and in the end the 20 with the most points will qualify to make the 1 1/4 miles Run for the Roses.
Months before the big race, sports books like Bovada offer future bet odds on these horses. Each week here at Capperspicks, we will take a look at four of these potential Derby champions.
Future odds listed here are provided by Bovada’s racebook at the time of posting.
2022 Kentucky Derby Futures Free Pick & Handicapping: Messier Race Odds: 16-1
Messier joins the Derby Futures list after taking the (G3) Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar on November 14 by 3 1/2 lengths. As is often the case with West Coast two-year-old races he only had a small field of three others to contend with, and the latter part of the race slowed to a crawl.
Messier is trained by Bob Baffert and until there’s a resolution in the courts, is not technically eligible to collect Derby qualifying points as all Baffert-trained horses are currently banned from the Derby for two years.
Pedigree: While he’s an Ontario-bred colt, his sire Empire Maker was from Kentucky and ran second in the 2003 Derby and then won the Belmont Stakes. Grandsire Unbridled won the 1990 Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic
Possible next start: (G3) Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, January 1.
2022 Kentucky Derby Futures Free Pick & Handicapping: Rattle N Roll Race Odds: 33-1
Rattle N Roll currently rides a two-race winning streak and looked very good last out in coming from off the pace to win the (G1) Claiborne Futurity by more than four lengths at odds of 9-1.
Prior to that he broke his maiden on the Churchill dirt racing a bit closer to the leaders early before taking over in mid-stretch and going on to win by a comfortable three lengths. Both those races were at 1 1/16 miles, so he shows signs of distance ability.
Pedigree: Sire Connect won the (G2) Penn Derby over future BC Classic winner Gun Runner as well as the (G1) Cigar Mile. Grandsire Curlin was an outstanding race horse that finished second in the 2007 Derby, won the Preakness Stakes, was second in the Belmont Stakes and won the BC Classic, eventually putting more than $10 million in the bank.
Possible next start: Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct Race Track, January 1.
2022 Kentucky Derby Futures Free Pick & Handicapping: Commandperformance Race Odds: 33-1
Commandperformance has yet to win in three lifetime starts, but he deserves some attention based his race in the (G1) Champagne Stakes where he actually closed some ground late on the very highly regarded Jack Christopher. In doing so he scored a 100 Equibase speed figure, always a promising sign for a two-year-old.
Next out he was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile where he tracked close to the early pace but faded late, a bit of a disappointing performance as he was second choice in the betting at odds of 3-1.
Pedigree: Sire Union Rags was seventh in the 2007 Derby and then won the Belmont Stakes. Grandsire Tapit was the sire of Essential Quality, this year’s winner of the Belmont and 1 1/4 mile (G1) Travers Stakes.
Possible next start: Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct Race Track, January 1.
2022 Kentucky Derby Futures Free Pick & Handicapping: Pinehurst Race Odds: 33-1
Pinehurst won his first two career starts – including the (G1) Del Mar Futurity – but then looked a bit overmatched next out when he was fifth in a dead heat in the BC Juvenile. For him the big question is how he will handle added distance.
He’s also another Bob Baffert trainee, and so like Messier is not currently eligible to accumulate Derby qualifying points.
Pedigree: Sire Twirling Candy raced strictly in California where he was a multiple graded-stakes winner, including the (G1) Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs.
Possible next start: (G2) Los Alamitos Futurity at Los Alamitos Race Course, December 18.
Here’s My 2022 Kentucky Derby Futures Free Pick.
For me as a future bet prospect, in this crop Rattle N Roll really stands out for a couple of different reasons. He already has a win on the Churchill dirt and a pair of wins at the 1 1/16 miles distance, something few other two year olds can claim at this point.
He has also shown some versatility in his races, being both close up the early pace and coming from a bit farther back, which is also always a positive sign in a young horse. The Curlin pedigree is also a big plus.
What do you think of our 2022 Kentucky Derby Futures Race Odds & Predictions? Weigh in below with a comment. We welcome your feedback.
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