Louisiana Derby Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2022 Louisiana Derby Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2022 Louisiana Derby is set for March 26 at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Louisiana Derby Preview
- Race: Louisiana Derby
- Purse: $1 million
- Track: Fair Grounds Race Course
- Date: March 26
- Post Time: 6:44 PM (ET)
- Live: Louisiana Derby Odds: Click Here
2022 Louisiana Derby Handicapping
A full day of stakes racing at Fair Grounds is capped by the running of the (G2) Louisiana Derby, the final race of the 12-race card.
Open to horses age three, the LA Derby is the last of three Kentucky Derby points races held at Fair Grounds, and offers Derby qualifying points on a 100-40-20-10 scale to the top four finishers. Several of the horses running in the race already have Derby points on the leaderboard, led by Epicenter who sits second with 64 and has already assured himself a spot in the Derby gate.
They’ll be going 1 3/16 miles on the Fair Grounds dirt course.
Odds listed here are provided by the Gulfstream Park track handicapper.
2022 Louisiana Derby Free Pick & Handicapping: Epicenter Race Odds: 7-5
The heavy favourite in the field, Epicenter was the convincing winner of the (G2) Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds just over a month ago, going to the front out of the gate and never looking back. He was never really challenged and at one point opened up a four-length lead on the field before gearing down and winning by 2 3/4.
That was his third consecutive start at Fair Grounds, where he was previously second by a head when just nailed at the wire in the (G3) Lecomte and an easy 6 1/2 length winner when closing out his two-year old season in the Gun Runner Stakes.
Steve Asmussen is a three-time winning trainer of the race, jockey Joel Rosario goes for his second win in a row.
2022 Louisiana Derby Free Pick & Handicapping: Rattle N Roll Race Odds: 6-1
Looking to bounce back from a disappointing performance in the (G2) Fountain Of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream, Rattle N Roll does have the distinction of being the only horse in the race to hit a 100 Equibase speed figure in his career.
He did that last fall in winning the (G1) Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. After that he was off for five months, which may explain his flat performance in the FOY and he should improve here while getting added distance to work with.
Trainer Ken McPeek won the LA Derby way back in 2002. Brian Hernandez Jr. was the winning rider in 2017.
2022 Louisiana Derby Free Pick & Handicapping: Call Me Midnight Race Odds: 6-1
After coming six-wide into the stretch, Call Me Midnight came charging late from the back of the pack and just got up in time to beat Epicenter by a head last out in the (G3) Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds at odds of 29-1.
His connections chose to skip the Risen Star, and so this will be his first start two months. Last weekend he put in a work at the track where he went 47.40 over four furlongs, the second fastest of 110 works at the distance on that day.
Keith Desormeaux trains, James Graham gets the call to ride.
2022 Louisiana Derby Free Pick & Handicapping: Zozos Race Odds: 8-1
Something of a wild card in the field, Zozos will be making just his third lifetime start, but he is undefeated in his first two and was an impressive winner last start in taking a first-level allowance by more than 10 lengths.
Prior to that he broke his maiden at first asking in a race where both the second and third-place finishers came back to win their next start. He’s taking a big step up in class to go against these, but all indications are he’s one that still has room to improve.
Trainer Brad Cox and rider Florent Geroux were the winning combination of the 2020 race.
Here’s My 2022 Louisiana Derby Free Pick.
There’s been some talk coming into the race that this is actually a softer field than the one Epicenter beat in winning the Risen Star, and on paper I would probably have to agree.
Just as in that race he’s likely going to face some pace pressure from Pioneer of Medina, but he was able to turn that one back at the shorter 1 1/8 distance and I expect he’ll do so again with the benefit of another 1/16 of mile. Although he’ll likely go off even lower than his ML 7-5 odds, he’s my pick to win.
If you like anyone else you’re going to get a price. I actually picked Rattle N Roll to win the Fountain Of Youth and I still think he’s better than that race would indicate, so I’ll give him one more chance and use him underneath in the exacta.
Full Field: Louisiana Derby Odds
(By post position)
- #1 – Silent Power 50-1
- #2 – Zozos 8-1
- #3 – Call Me Midnight 6-1
- #4 – Curly Tail 30-1
- #5 – Kupuna 8-1
- #6 – Epicenter 7-5
- #7 – Pioneer Of Medina 5-1
- #8 – Galt 8-1
- #9 – Rattle N Roll 6-1
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