Steve Asmussen can tie the record for most Louisiana Derby wins by a trainer when he sends out the favored Epicenter in the 2022 Louisiana Derby on Saturday. The 56-year-old Asmussen, the all-time winningest trainer in North American racing, has won the Louisiana Derby three times, one shy of Todd Pletcher's record of four. Asmussen has a strong chance to win No. 4 with Epicenter, who's coming off a win in the Risen Star Stakes. He is the 7-5 favorite in the 2022 Louisiana Derby odds. Pioneer of Medina, who can give Pletcher his fifth Louisiana Derby win, is the 5-1 second choice in the nine-horse 2022 Louisiana Derby field.
Post time for the $1 million Louisiana Derby 2022 is 6:44 p.m. ET. With a crop of three-year-olds set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what racing insider and Beyer Speed Figure maker Bob Weir has to say before making any 2022 Louisiana Derby picks.
A Saratoga Springs-based racing insider and Beyer Speed Figure maker, Weir is a two-time qualifier for the prestigious National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas. He has produced multiple five-figure days at the track over the years, including a $60,000 Pick 6 at Del Mar in 2014. Last year, he was on fire. He hit the exacta in the Sam F. Davis Stakes, Tampa Bay Derby and Peter Pan Stakes, the trifecta in the Risen Star Stakes, Blue Grass Stakes and Pennsylvania Derby and the superfecta in the Belmont Stakes. Those were just some of his scores in 2021.
This year, he has hit a Pick 4 at Gulfstream Park, the trifecta in the Pegasus World Cup, the exacta in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, and the exacta in the Tampa Bay Derby, among other scores.
Now, he has handicapped the 2022 Louisiana Derby entries, made his picks and constructed his bets. You can only see them here.
Top 2022 Louisiana Derby predictions
One surprise: Weir does not have Epicenter among his top two choices, even though he is the clear favorite. A three-year-old son of budding sire Not This Time, Epicenter has three wins and one second in five career starts. He is coming off a victory in the Risen Star Stakes that earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 98, the best in the field.
But Weir sees the pace scenario playing out differently than it did in the Risen Star, when Epicenter was on an uncontested lead. "I suspect Epicenter will be challenged early and not get the easy lead he experienced in the Risen Star," Weir told SportsLine. Weir prefers two 2022 Louisiana Derby horses over Epicenter.
How to make 2022 Louisiana Derby picks, bets
Weir is high on a horse who "may get overlooked in the wagering." He also is high on a long shot to "get first run over the closers." Weir is including these horses in his 2022 Louisiana Derby bets, and so should you. He's sharing which horses to back only at SportsLine.
So who wins the Louisiana Derby 2022? What long shot is a must-back? And how has Weir constructed his wagers? Check out the latest Louisiana Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Weir's picks for the Louisiana Derby, all from the insider who nailed the Pegasus World Cup.
2022 Louisiana Derby odds, contenders, horses, lineup
| Prg # | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silent Power | 50-1 | |
| 2 | Zozos | 8-1 | |
| 3 | Call Me Midnight | 6-1 | |
| 4 | Curly Tail | 30-1 | |
| 5 | Kupuna | 8-1 | |
| 6 | Epicenter | 7-5 | |
| 7 | Pioneer of Medina | 5-1 | |
| 8 | Galt | 8-1 | |
| 9 | Rattle N Roll | 6-1 |
