The annual Road to Kentucky Handicapping Contest got underway last Saturday at a sloppy Fair Grounds Race Course and continues this Saturday, Jan. 25, at Oaklawn Park home of the Grade 3 $1 million Southwest Stakes. The Southwest played an important role on the Kentucky Derby trail last year as the race was won by Mystik Dan who went on to win the Derby.
The Southwest is race 10 on a 12-race card. The 10-horse field includes Gaming, second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and 2 to 1 morning line favorite on Saturday for trainer Bob Baffert who has won the race in two of the last three years.
Brad Cox trains Patch Adams a maiden winner at Churchill Downs in November when making his second start. He earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, the largest of any in the Southwest.
Racing at Oaklawn begins at 11:25 a.m. central which is also the deadline to enter the Road to Kentucky Contest.
Saturday is also Pegasus World Cup Day at Gulfstream Park. Thirteen races will be runs with 10 stakes ranging in value from $100,000 to $3 million, the purse offered for the Pegasus World Cup Invitational.
Last week’s top Road to Kentucky prize went to Duane Povlitzki. Steve Leeper had the best Bet on Yourself in R2K score and took the $400 pot.
