By J. Keeler Johnson 

The $750,000 Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park has risen steadily in prominence as a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier. The race has churned out Kentucky Derby (G1) winners Lil E. Tee (1992) and Smarty Jones (2004), and since 2010 the 1 1/16-mile race has produced 19 Derby starters.

Nine horses have entered the 2023 Southwest, all vying for the 20 Kentucky Derby qualification points awarded to the top five finishers on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis. Let's check out the field:

Sun Thunder
Total 2 start(s)
Wins:
1
Place:
0
Show:
1
Top Speed Rating:
(88) when breaking his maiden at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings:
$66,000
Owner:
R.T Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine
Breeder:
Southern Equine Stables
Trainer:
Kenny McPeek
Jockey:
David Cabrera
Sire:
Into Mischief
Dam:
Greenfield d'Oro
Color:
Bay

Third in his debut sprinting at Churchill Downs, Sun Thunder thrived when stretching out around two turns for a one-mile maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park, overcoming early trouble to rally and win by 6 1/2 lengths. The Kenny McPeek trainee breezed a bullet half-mile in :47 3/5 at Oaklawn last Saturday and has upside for improvement, so don't count Sun Thunder out of contention for a top-four finish.

Corona Bolt
Total 2 start(s)
Wins:
2
Place:
0
Show:
0
Top Speed Rating:
(99) when wiring the Sugar Bowl S. at Fair Grounds.
Total Earnings:
$102,000
Owner:
Stonestreet Stables
Breeder:
Summerfield Sales Agency and Etarip Stables
Trainer:
Brad Cox
Jockey:
Flavien Prat
Sire:
Bolt d'Oro
Dam:
Stormbeforethecalm
Color:
Bay

Two starts, two victories. Corona Bolt beat a next-out winner in his debut sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Churchill Downs, then shipped to Fair Grounds and wired the six-furlong Sugar Bowl S. by 6 3/4 lengths. The latter victory produced a flashy 99 Brisnet Speed rating, and Corona Bolt has the pedigree to stretch out in distance for hot trainer Brad Cox, so he ought to be a major player in the Southwest.

Jace's Road
Total 4 start(s)
Wins:
2
Place:
0
Show:
1
Top Speed Rating:
(96) when wiring the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds.
Total Earnings:
$126,800
Owner:
Albaugh Family Stables
Breeder:
Colts Neck Stables
Trainer:
Brad Cox
Jockey:
Joe Talamo
Sire:
Quality Road
Dam:
Out Post
Color:
Bay

The Road to the Kentucky Derby has been kind to Jace's Road, who kicked off the trail with a third-place finish in the Iroquois S. (G3) at Churchill Downs before wiring the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds last month by 5 1/2 lengths. Jace's Road is progressing in the right direction for trainer Brad Cox and has a 96 Brisnet Speed rating in his corner, stamping the son of Quality Road as a top-three contender in the Southwest.

Western Ghent
Total 9 start(s)
Wins:
1
Place:
0
Show:
1
Top Speed Rating:
(81) when finishing fourth in the Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings:
$75,112
Owner:
Bob Ghent, Ann Ghent, Laurie Lukas, and D. Wayne Lukas
Breeder:
Dixiana Farms
Trainer:
D. Wayne Lukas
Jockey:
Cristian Torres
Sire:
American Pharoah
Dam:
Luzmimi Princess
Color:
Dark bay/brown

Winner of a $75,000 maiden claimer at Saratoga last summer, Western Ghent showed speed in the first of Oaklawn's four Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers, tracking the pace in the one-mile Smarty Jones S. before staying on to finish fourth as a 56-1 longshot. It was a good try, but Western Ghent's career-best 81 Brisnet Speed rating looks a bit light against tougher competition in the Southwest.

Frosted Departure
Total 9 start(s)
Wins:
3
Place:
0
Show:
1
Top Speed Rating:
(95) when winning the Renaissance S. at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings:
$246,711
Owner:
C & H Diamond Racing and Magdalena Racing
Breeder:
Alastar Thoroughbred Company
Trainer:
Kenny McPeek
Jockey:
Francisco Arrieta
Sire:
Frosted
Dam:
Undeterred
Color:
Gray/roan

Frosted Departure displayed tenacity when battling to a head triumph in the six-furlong Renaissance S. at Oaklawn last month, earning a sharp 95 Brisnet Speed rating. But Frosted Departure finished 10th in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) and seventh in the Street Sense S. (G3) last fall, his only route runs to date, so stretching back out over 1 1/16 miles for the Southwest is a question mark.

Arabian Knight
Total 1 start(s)
Wins:
1
Place:
0
Show:
0
Top Speed Rating:
(104) when dominating his debut at Keeneland.
Total Earnings:
$86,025
Owner:
Zedan Racing Stables
Breeder:
Corser Thoroughbreds
Trainer:
Bob Baffert
Jockey:
John Velazquez
Sire:
Uncle Mo
Dam:
Borealis Night
Color:
Bay

Arabian Knight has only run once, but it was a powerful effort. The son of champion and successful sire Uncle Mo wired a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland by 7 1/4 lengths over next-out winner Determinedly, earning a massive 104 Brisnet Speed rating. Sold for $2.3 million as a yearling, Arabian Knight is the fastest Southwest entrant on paper and looms as the horse to beat after turning in a fast series of workouts at Santa Anita.

Red Route One
Total 5 start(s)
Wins:
1
Place:
0
Show:
1
Top Speed Rating:
(88) when finishing third in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.
Total Earnings:
$172,575
Owner:
Winchell Thoroughbreds
Breeder:
Winchell Thoroughbreds
Trainer:
Steve Asmussen
Jockey:
Ricardo Santana Jr.
Sire:
Gun Runner
Dam:
Red House
Color:
Chestnut

Red Route One has run respectably in a couple of Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers, rallying to finish third against a tough field in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) before coming home fourth (beaten only 1 1/2 lengths) in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2). This stretch-running son of hot young sire Gun Runner figures to be gaining ground down the homestretch for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who has won the Southwest three times.

Hit Show
Total 3 start(s)
Wins:
2
Place:
0
Show:
0
Top Speed Rating:
(89) when winning an Oaklawn Park allowance optional claimer.
Total Earnings:
$126,875
Owner:
Gary and Mary West Stables
Breeder:
Gary and Mary West Stables
Trainer:
Brad Cox
Jockey:
Manny Franco
Sire:
Candy Ride
Dam:
Actress
Color:
Gray/roan

A flashy debut winner sprinting at Keeneland, Hit Show struggled to a fourth-place finish in his route debut, but then improved to trounce a one-mile allowance optional claimer at Oaklawn by 3 1/2 lengths. The third and final Brad Cox trainee in the Southwest field, Hit Show is progressing in the right direction and enters off a fast series of workouts but needs to improve upon his career-best 89 Brisnet Speed rating in order to challenge for a top-three finish in the Southwest.

El Tomate
Total 1 start(s)
Wins:
1
Place:
0
Show:
0
Top Speed Rating:
(81) when winning his debut at Remington Park.
Total Earnings:
$19,698
Owner:
Silva Racing
Breeder:
Stone Farm
Trainer:
Miguel Silva
Jockey:
Orlando Mojica
Sire:
Runhappy
Dam:
Left a Message
Color:
Gray/roan

Completing the Southwest field is El Tomate, who rallied decisively to win a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Remington Park by 5 1/4 lengths last month. The son of champion sprinter Runhappy has talent but is stepping up sharply in class and distance for the Southwest. He'll need improvement from a Brisnet Speed rating perspective to challenge for Kentucky Derby qualification points.