The final Saturday in June offers a light schedule when it comes to betting major graded horse races in preparation for the summer racing season starting in July. However, the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown Racino near Cleveland does feature a few three-year old Thoroughbreds with Triple Crown racing experience.
The field for the main event this Saturday at Thistledown has been set with eight entries on the betting board. Contested on dirt, this race covers 1 1/8 miles in total distance with a total prize purse of $500,000 up for grabs.
2022 Ohio Derby Picks
Post Time: 5:35 PM
Where: Thistledown
Digging a bit deeper into each of the eight contenders in the field for this year’s Ohio Derby, the following three colts come together perfectly to form my official trifecta bet for this race.
Win: White Abarrio
I had this three-year old Kentucky-bred colt as my show horse in May’s Kentucky Derby. Things did not go as planned for trainer Saffie Joseph and jockey Tyler Gaffalione with a fade to 16 th at Churchill Downs. Breaking from the favorable No. 5 post the last Saturday in June, I love his chances for a much better outing this time around as the 7-2 third-favorite to win on the morning line.
The son of Race Day first caught my eye by winning the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park in his three-year old debut. He then proved the win was not a fluke by going on post an impressive victory in this year’s Grade 1 Florida Derby at that same track on April 2. He also finished in the money in three races as a juvenile.
Place: Classic Causeway
This pick might be a bit of a reach at 6-1 odds in a deep field but there is something about the son of Giant’s Causeway that I like in this race. He will break from the outside No. 8 post with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr getting the ride. Trainer Kenneth McPeek is sure to have him ready coming off the respectable 11 th -place finish in the Kentucky Derby.
This Kentucky-bred colt was quickly deemed a legitimate Derby contender after winning both the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes and the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs. I am leaning towards his old racing form resurfacing this Saturday.
Show: Barese
Tawny Port has been opened as the 3-1 favorite to win this race but I am bypassing him altogether to put trainer Mike Maker’s top entry into the show position at 9-2 morning line odds. Starting from the No. 1 post, he will have Kendrick Carmouche as his jockey in this race. Sired by Laoban, this three-year old New York-bred colt took third in the ungraded New York Stallion Times Square Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack on April 23 his last time out.
Barese started his three-year old season hot with a pair of victories in two ungraded stakes races at Aqueduct. He fell off the Kentucky Derby trail with a fifth place finish at that track in April’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial. Another one of my three-year old favorites, Mo Donegal won that race.
