Photo courtesy Oaklawn Park
Every year the Arkansas Derby – a prep qualifying race for the Kentucky Derby – gets stronger and stronger in my eyes and is now in the top three prep races for me.
And with the Florida Derby having an underwhelming group, this might turn out to be the best one.
The race is the 13th on the Oaklawn Park Saturday card and is set for a 4:48 p.m. PDT.
Here is the field in post-position order:
- Brereton’s Baytown (Paul McEntee, Marshall Mendez, 30/1) was eighth, beaten 11 lengths in the Rebel at 188/1 and don’t see hope for much improvement here.
- First Division (Kenny McPeak, Brian Hernandez Jr., 20/1) makes his first stakes start but is coming off an impressive $200,000 optional claimer over the track on March 2. Expect him to sit off the pace and make a late run.
- Publisher (Steve Asmussen, Flavian Prat, 6/1) was fourth in the Rebel and before that was seventh in the Southwest, two preps for this one. Had a strong close in the last one and if he gets going earlier here, he could have a shot.
- Bestfriend Rocket (D Wayne Lukas, Nic Juarez, 20/1) beat First Division in that optional claimer just getting up to win by a head. Has speed and is easy to see pushing the early pace. This is the first stakes race.
- Speed King (Ron Moquett, Rafael Bejarano, 15/1) wired the field in the Southwest, then came out and laid an egg in the Rebel, finishing 10th, beaten 15 lengths. Has thrown to bullet works on the board to show what appears to be much better fitness here.
- Sandman (Mark Casse, Jose Ortiz, 3/1) was second in the Southwest and third in the Rebel, beaten by two other horses entered here. The closer has every right to be in contention as he should get the speed needed for him to have shot.
- Monet’s Magic (Ben Colebrook, Luan Machado, 20/1) broke on his fifth start, then came back to win an optional claimer. Made the jump up to the Southwest and finished fifth. Got valuable experience that day and now will likely look to come from off the pace. Watch the tote.
- Coal Battle (Lonnie Briley, Juan Vargas, 7/2) won the Rebel at almost 12/1, giving the connections their fourth straight stakes win. Still the connections don’t get the love their recent form should deserve. Has won four straight stakes, beaten four other horses entered here and still is not the morning line favorite.
- Cornucopian (Bob Baffert, John Velazquez, 7/5) is your favorite based on one race – a very impressive straight maiden win where he won by five and earned a 101 Beyer. Oh, and the fact the horse has a $1.1 million price tag.