New Year’s Day kicks off a brand new horse racing season for the best three-year old thoroughbreds in the 2022 class. The early trail to this year’s Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 7 starts this Saturday with a pair of prep races at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas and at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York.

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The 2022 Smarty Jones Stakes is packed with 14 brand new three-year old’s entered in the field. This race covers a full mile on the dirt track at Oaklawn. Moving to the East Coast, the field for the 2022 Jerome Stakes is still coming together. This early Kentucky Derby prep for three- year old’s covers a mile on the dirt at Aqueduct.

Below is a look at my top three colts in each of these ungraded stakes races for three-year old thoroughbreds.

2022 Smarty Jones Stakes Picks

Where: Oaklawn Park

Win: Ignitis

Breaking from the favorable No. 5 post in a crowded field, this three-year old Kentucky-bred colt is trained by D. Wayne Lucas with jockey Luis Contreras getting the ride. The son of Nyquist had a very busy juvenile campaign with five-straight finishes in the money before slipping to sixth in the Lively Shively Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27.

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Place: Home Brew

Trained by Brad Cox, this Kentucky-bred three-year old colt will break third on Saturday with Florent Geroux as his jockey. I like his chances to finish in the money after winning a one-mile Allowance Claimer at Oaklawn on Dec. 4 with a winning time of 1:38.10. Sired by Street Sense, he has placed first or second in all three of his races as a juvenile.

Show: Cool Papa G

The son of Maclean’s Music closed out his juvenile campaign with a third-place finish in Lively Shively Stakes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, he will start 12th in this race with jockey Ramon Vazquez on board. Cool Papa G has one of the higher Horse Racing Nation ratings in the field at 5.06. He has been able to place in the top three in a trio of races as a two-year old.

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2022 Jerome Stakes Picks

Where: Aqueduct Racetrack

Win: Mr. Jefferson

In a small field of six probable entries, the son of Constitution stands out as the best bet. He finished fourth in the 2021 Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct on Dec. 4 against a very strong field. This followed a victory at Laurel Park on Nov. 4 in a 1 1/16-mile Allowance Claimer. He covered that distance on dirt in 1:45.43. The three-year old Maryland-bred colt is trained by Michael Trombetta.

What Is an Exacta Bet in Horse Racing?

Place: Life Is Great

Trained by Robert Klesaris, this three-year old Florida-bred colt was able to place in the money five times in six races as a juvenile. He won a seven-furlong Maiden Special Weight race at Aqueduct on Nov. 20 for the first victory of his racing career. The son of Tapiture brings a HRN rating of 4.77 into this Saturday’s race.

Show: Cooke Creek

Trainer Jeramiah O’Dwyer is expected to run this Uncle Mo sire on Saturday coming off a solid second-place run at Belmont in the one mile Grade 3 Nashua Stakes on Nov. 7. He started his career out on the West Coast with back-to-back victories as Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Cooke Creek won the ungraded Rocky Run Stakes on Oct. 16, covering the mile on dirt in 1:39.71.