With just days to go before the 148th Run for the Roses, the list of 2022 Kentucky Derby contenders continues to take shape. After an 11th-place finish at the Florida Derby, Classic Causeway trainer Brian Lynch saw fit to pull the horse from the 2022 Kentucky Derby field, but after a strong workout last Saturday at Churchill Downs, he chose to reverse course. Classic Causeway has accumulated more total points in the 2022 Kentucky Derby prep races than others already in the field like Zozos, Messier, and Summer Is Tomorrow. Messier is one of the 2022 Kentucky Derby horses listed at 6-1 in the latest 2022 Kentucky Derby odds, while Zozos checks in at 20-1 and In Due Time is last at 120-1. With a talented 20-horse field expected to enter the starting gate, you’ll want to see what racing insider and Beyer Speed Figure maker Bob Weir has to say before making any 2022 Kentucky 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.
This year, he has been red-hot in the 2022 Kentucky Derby prep races, hitting the superfecta in the Blue Grass Stakes, the trifecta in the Louisiana Derby and the exacta in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and Tampa Bay Derby. He also has hit the trifecta in the Pegasus World Cup and multiple Pick 4s, among other scores. Now, he has handicapped the 2022 Kentucky Derby field, made his picks and constructed his bets. Click here to see them.
Top 2022 Kentucky Derby expert picks
One surprise: Weir is tossing Taiba, even though he is one of the top 2022 Kentucky Derby contenders at 6-1 and just won the Santa Anita Derby. Although Taiba has impressed in limited opportunities, his stock is falling as other 2022 Kentucky Derby horses are making their final appearances ahead of the first leg of racing’s Triple Crown.
Part of the cause for apprehension has been Taiba’s withdrawal from a planned workout last weekend heading into the Kentucky Derby 2022. While other horses are reporting encouraging times in training sessions ahead of the race, Taiba is dialing it back despite only having run two career races. Inexperience was already a top concern for Taiba coming in, and reducing the amount of time spent on the track ahead of the biggest race of his young career leaves his status as a top pick in doubt.
Instead, Weir is high on Charge It, even though he’s a 20-1 long shot. Charge It is one of the least experienced runners in the 2022 Kentucky Derby lineup. He did not make his debut until Jan. 8, finishing second in a maiden race at Gulfstream Park. He broke his maiden a month later, blasting a maiden field by 8 1/2 lengths.
In his last start, he stepped up in competition, running second in the Florida Derby. “There’s no doubt he’s talented, and if he acts a little more professional in Kentucky, he can improve,” Weir told SportsLine. Weir is including Charge It in his 2022 Kentucky Derby betting strategy.
How to make 2022 Kentucky Derby predictions, bets
Weir is high on three other horses, including an epic long shot who’s “hard to ignore” and worth a “long look.” Weir is including these horses in his 2022 Kentucky Derby bets, and so should you. He’s only sharing his 2022 Kentucky Derby cheat sheet and picks here.
Who wins the Kentucky Derby 2022? And which enormous double-digit long shot is a must-back? Check out the latest Kentucky Derby odds 2022 below, then visit SportsLine to see Weir’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who has nailed this year’s prep races.
