Grade 1, $1 million Blue Grass Stakes, 1 1/8 miles, Keeneland, April 9, 2022 (100 Derby qualifying points for first, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth) Winner: Zandon, by Upstart Trainer: Chad Brown Jockey: Flavien Prat Owner: Jeff Drown Beyer Speed Figure: 98 Readers of this space are well aware of the high regard in which ZANDON has been held, owing to strong performances in the Remsen (https://www.drf.com/news/road-2022-kentucky-derby-remsen-stakes-analysis) to end his brief 2-year-old campaign, and the Risen Star (https://www.drf.com/news/road-2022-kentucky-derby-risen-star-stakes-analysis) to start his 3-year-old season. As hoped and anticipated, he took a significant leap forward in his second start of this form cycle, and in his final prep for the Derby, rallying from last after encountering traffic trouble by utilizing a sensational turn of foot and a savvy ride from Prat to run down another highly regarded Derby prospect in SMILE HAPPY. The result of this race further enhances the form of the Risen Star, from which Epicenter emerged to win the Louisiana Derby, Slow Down Andy subsequently won the Sunland Derby, and Tawny Port ran second in the Jeff Ruby. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2022: Point standings, prep schedule, news, and more This race obviously was on dirt, but, befitting a Brown trainee and a horse ridden by Prat, Zandon accelerated like a grass horse when he finally found room. That quickness will be paramount in the Derby if he finds himself similarly in traffic. Prat’s ride in this race was a treat to watch. Instead of panicking owing to the need to get points, he remained in traffic, and sat tight seeking a seam, obviously sensing he had plenty of horse underneath him. When he got room, Zandon motored through. Zandon only figures to move forward off this race for the third start of his form cycle. He’s unquestionably a win candidate on May 7. In this race, Zandon went into the first turn among a tightly packed group of horses, mid-pack, three paths wide, in traffic. He got shuffled back to 10th of 11 heading down the backstretch, and headed into the far turn behind a wall of horses, with no opportunity to move in or out, and he was shuffled back to last with three furlongs to go. He then began to rally between rivals while in the three path, quickly making progress, cut the corner into the lane, tipped out in upper stretch and bumped with TRADEMARK, who had been forced in by ETHEREAL ROAD, lengthened his stride, got past Smile Happy before the sixteenth pole, and drew away. There was no pace, and the race shape was against him – the 2-3-4 finishers all were prominent early – yet he overcame it all. Terrific effort. In addition, while the track was off, he’s performed well on dry land, so I’d doubt that moved him up. But it certainly means that if there’s weather on Derby Day, he shouldn’t be hindered. Smile Happy, who finished second, couldn’t drop in from his wide draw and went around the first turn four to five paths wide while not far off a moderate pace. He moved into an ideal striking position heading into the far turn, advanced three paths wide while outside EMMANUEL and GOLDEN GLIDER, bumped with Emmanuel while going past him about 250 yards from the finish, drifted in, couldn’t go with an onrushing Zandon, and swapped back to his wrong lead late. He, too, has run well in all four of his starts, and, unlike Zandon, he has run and won at Churchill Downs. But on this day he was second-best. Emmanuel, who was third, was hustled from the gate to make the lead, then dropped down toward the rail while setting a moderate pace. He continued to lead down the backstretch, with a brisk wind pushing the field along, continued in front around the far turn and into the lane, drifted out slightly while failing to change leads and bumped with Smile Happy – causing Emmanuel to change leads – and then he simply failed to stay with the top two late. He probably wants a mile more than he wants 1 1/4 miles, and being by More Than Ready turf is a major option, too. Golden Glider, who was fourth, also was asked leaving the gate and set up shop into the first turn just behind and outside of Emmanuel. He was pushed along midway on the far turn to try and get to Emmanuel, but could not, dropped down toward the rail, then drifted out through the lane while failing to threaten the top two and making incremental progress on a tiring Emmanuel. Trademark, who was fifth, was ridden along early, got pinched back, then found himself in the two path around the first turn while mid-pack and in traffic. He made some progress while splitting rivals from the three path on the far turn, was bumped by Ethereal Road into Zandon, took another bump from Ethereal Road a few strides later, then finished evenly after swapping over to his left lead, indicating he was getting weary. RATTLE N ROLL, who was sixth, broke half a step slow and was in the two path at the rear of the pack around the first turn. He was alongside Zandon at the back of the pack heading into the far turn, tipped farther out and made progress while five paths wide, but failed to sustain his run. He has made no progress from 2 to 3. Ethereal Road, who was seventh, went into the first turn three paths wide while stalking the pace, settled mid-pack for the run down the backstretch, then got shuffled back heading into the far turn. He rallied in the four path on the far turn while inside Rattle N Roll, bumped Trademark twice in upper stretch while drifting in and racing on his left lead, and flattened out. COMMANDPERFORMANCE, who was eighth, was shuffled back into the first turn, trailed while saving ground around the first turn while under a snug hold owing to the traffic jam, was inside Zandon heading to the far turn, raced in the two path while coming around the tiring FENWICK, but was always outrun. He’s still a maiden, and these ambitious spots into which he’s been placed may be taking a toll, because this was his worst race yet. BLACKADDER, who was ninth, raced toward the rear of the field in the four path around the first turn. He tugged his way forward down the backstretch while in the middle of the track, got up to fourth on the far turn while in the four path and on the tail of Smile Happy, but stopped badly before reaching the quarter pole. VOLCANIC, who was 10th, was forwardly placed while saving ground behind Emmanuel around the first turn. He was between rivals in the two path heading to the far turn, had to be asked a half-mile out to try and keep pace, but was engulfed early on the far turn and dropped out of it. Fenwick, who finished last of 11, had to check when up on the heels of Volcanic heading into the first turn, then saved ground while pulling hard. He settled better into the backstretch and made some progress to advance to fourth going into the far turn, continued to save ground on the turn, but was done well before the quarter pole and faded.