3 Derby Prep Races You Should Watch Before Picking Your Horse

Picking a Kentucky Derby horse is an imperfect science. Many may just like a name or the jockey’s silks. Some will spend hours flipping pages of a program. Others will need to see them with their own eyes breezing in the morning at Churchill Downs. It’s never a bad idea to watch how the horses actually raced.

There are over 30 Kentucky Derby prep races. You don’t need to watch every single one to get an idea of what the horse will do on the first Saturday in May. Before Kentucky Derby 151, you can spend less than 10 minutes watching four races that paint a clearer picture of how the top contenders may perform.

Santa Anita Derby

The Californians have smaller fields, but this year’s crop has the top horses. This year’s Santa Anita Derby featured the two horses that will receive a ton of attention leading into the Kentucky Derby. Journalism is the No. 1 in the race, with Baeza at No. 5.

Baeza ran a blistering speed figure, even though he lost a ton of ground with a wide first turn. Journalism was bottled up in the back of the pack on the rail. He made a move to get out of traffic as he approached the final turn, and it looked like it would cost him. Somehow, Journalism had one more in him, rallying to beat Baeza. The two horses posted the two fastest speed figures of the Derby contenders in this race.

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Arkansas Derby

This is by far the most unusual Kentucky Derby prep race. Sandman (6) will be a popular betting choice after the win, but after watching this race at Oaklawn Park, it’s hard to put too much stock into this victory.

Two horses flew to the front. You don’t need to know that a 45.2 half-mile is way too fast. The track announcer made it clear. “They are flying… It would be incredible if either of these two could keep this up.”

That fast pace forced the race to fall apart, paving the way for Sandman to close. The horse couldn’t run in a straight line and almost gave it away before ultimately clinching the win.

Jeff Ruby Steaks

Turfway Park has an artificial surface, which doesn’t make it the most inviting place to run Kentucky Derby preps, and yet horses from this race continue to show up on the tote board. Final Gambit (4) may follow in the footsteps of Two Phil’s and Rich Strike.

The Juddmonte colt, trained by Brad Cox, got a horrible break, cut off almost as soon as he stepped out of the starting gate. The horse fell to the back of the pack, so far back that he wasn’t even in the frame when they turned into the backstretch.

Forced to the outside, Final Gambit was in the middle of the track when he started his race for home. Luan Machado didn’t even give them the whip until the final furlong. That’s when the long-strider launched ahead of the competition. Watch his finish and you’ll understand why he will be a popular long shot play on Kentucky Derby day.