With $1 million up for grabs in total prize money, nine three-year old contenders have been entered into Saturday’s field. The competition for this year’s title runs deep with just two longshots in the field based on the opening morning line odds. The race will be contested on the dirt track at Fair Grounds covering a total distance of 1 3/16 miles.

2022 Louisiana Derby Picks

Backed by some of the best trainers in the game, the following is a look at my top three picks to finish in the money in Saturday’s featured event.

When: Saturday, March 26th 2022

Where: Fair Grounds Race Course

Post Time: 6:44 p.m. (ET)

Win: Epicenter

Coming off an impressive victory in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds on Feb. 19, it would be hard to go against the morning line favorite at 7-5 odds. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the three-year old Kentucky-bred colt with break from the No. 6 post on Saturday with jockey Joel Rosario.

The son of Not This Time has won three of his last four races going back to a Maiden Special Weight race at Churchill Downs in mid-November of last year. He started this year by placing second in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds on Jan. 22. His winning time in the Risen Star over 1 1/8 miles on dirt was 1:49.03 past Smile Happy and Zandon.

Place: Call Me Midnight

The Kentucky-bred colt did not run in this year’s Risen Star after winning the Lecomte Stakes in his three-year old debut. With jockey James Graham getting the call on Saturday, he will break from the No. 3 post in this race as a 6-1 third-favorite on the morning line.

Trained by Keith Desormeaux, the Midnight Lute sire posted a winning time of 1:44.36 in the 1 1/16-mile Lecomte. He was able to work his way past Epicenter in that race to set up the head- to-head rematch this Saturday. Busy as a juvenile, Call Me Midnight raced six times last year with mixed results. He finished in the money in two of those events.

Show: Pioneer of Medina

Famed trainer Todd Pletcher’s top entry in Saturday’s field will break seventh with Tyler Gaffalione as his jockey. The son of Pioneerof the Nile has been opened as a 5-1 second- favorite to win. He has the third-highest Horse Racing Nation rating in the field of nine at 5.71.

This Kentucky-bred colt faded out of the money his last time out by taking fourth place in the Risen Star last month. This followed a victory at Fair Grounds on Jan. 22 in his three-year old debut. He won an Allowance Claimer at 1 1/16 miles by covering that distance on dirt in 1:45.21.

Pioneer of Medina closed out his two-year old campaign with a victory in a 1 mile 40 yard Maiden Special Weight race at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 22.

One to Watch in the 2022 Louisiana Derby

Breaking from the favorable No. 5 post, my one to watch in this race is trainer William Calhoun’s Kupuna at 8-1 odds on the morning line. He took second in an Allowance Claimer at Fair Grounds on Feb. 22.