The 2022 Kentucky Derby prep schedule takes a break this weekend ahead of a fantastic finish leading up to the annual Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 7. However, Oaklawn Park in Arkansas is the place to be this Saturday for some major graded racing action featuring a solid group of veteran Thoroughbreds.
This year’s Grade 3 Whitmore Stakes gets things started on Saturday’s card as the first featured event. Open to horses four years and older, this six-furlong sprint on the dirt track at Oaklawn offers a total prize purse of $200,000.
The fetaured graded stakes event on Saturday’s card at Oaklawn is the $500,000 Essex Handicap. Open to Thoroughbreds four and older, this Grade 3 race covers 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. There are eight horses list as entered in what would have to be considered a field deep in talent.
2022 Essex Handicap Picks
Going through all eight entries for this year’s Essex Handicap, the following three are my personal “best bets” to finish in the money.
When: Saturday, March 19th 2022
Where: Oaklawn Park
Win: Plainsman
Backed by a victory the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap on February 12 at Oaklawn, this seven- year old horse immediately caught my eye as the top choice for Saturday’s main event. On paper, he is not the best horse in the field according to Horse Racing Nation ratings. However, he has been able to finish in the money in his last six races including three winning efforts Starting from gate No. 4 with jockey Joel Rosario, the son of Flatter is one of two entries in this race trained by Brad Cox. With the win his last time out, Plainsman has now either won or finished second in three of his last four races at Oaklawn Park.
Place: Warrior’s Charge
Also trained by Brad Cox, this six-year old Florida-bred veteran race horse will break from the No. 3 post for this race with jockey Florent Geroux leading the way. He has not raced since late January where he won a 1 1/16 mile Allowance Claimer at Oaklawn.
Over the course of an extended racing career, the son or Munnings has had a great deal of success at Saturday’s track. Going back over his last seven competitive events dating back to September of last year, he has finished in the money in five of those seven races. Given the level of experience Warrior’s Charge brings into this race gives him a significant edge in this field.
Show: Popular Kid
Rounding out my top three entries for this race, I decided to go with another horse that has a strong history of success at this track. Trained by Shawn Davis, he will break from the favorable No. 5 post on Saturday with Franciso Arrieta as his jockey. As one of the older horses still racing competitively, this eight-year old still has excellent speed and stamina.
He placed third in last month’s Razorback Handicap after closing out last season with a victory in the ungraded Jeffery A. Hawk Memorial Stakes at Remington Park. In that victory, he covered the 1mile, 70 yard distance on dirt in 1:43.35. Sired by Popular, his best performances over the course of an extended racing career have come at the 1 1/16 miles distance of Saturday’s event.
