Oaklawn Park: The GI, $1 million Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) #1 Improbable (8-5): The favorite was run down late by fellow rival Long Range Toddy in his return in the slower (by only .07) split division of the local prep, the GII Rebel last month, and will be…
Oaklawn Park: The $750,000,000 GII Rebel (Division 2) at 1 1/16 (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: (37.5-15-7.5-4) #1 Market King (30-1): Lukas speedster figures to take these as far as he can on the engine, as he stretches out off a close third in a local 6F optional-claimer, and a race removed from pressing and holding…
Oaklawn Park: The $750,000,000 GII Rebel (Division 1) at 1 1/16 (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: (37.5-15-7.5-4) by Brian Nadeau #1 Extra Hope (6-1): The first of four Santa Anita invaders impressed in his seasonal debut, when he pressed a hot pace in an optional-claimer over a sloppy track and kicked clear late, in what was…
Oaklawn Park: The $500,000 Southwest at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points 10-4-2-1) Oaklawn’s path to the Arkansas Derby begins with the pricey Southwest, which figures to be a key launching pad to the local GII Rebel next month. A potentially aggressive pace should aid the chances of California invader #7 SUENO (7-2), a…
Oaklawn Park: The $150,000 Smarty Jones at 1-mile (Kentucky Derby qualifying points 10-4-2-1) by Brian Nadeau Oaklawn Park opens, as does the path to the Arkansas Derby, though this year’s Smarty Jones looks more like a sorting out process than a major Kentucky Derby prep. Two turns is a question mark for #3 SUPER STEED…
Keeneland: The $200,000 GIII Lexington at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 20-8-4-2 While the Lexington has lost a lot of luster in recent years, it gets a bit back today as it’s been moved to three weeks out from the Kentucky Derby, is now worth 20 points to the winner, and has lured…
Oaklawn Park: The $1 million GI Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) #1 Beautiful Shot (30-1): Huge longshot enters off a complete no-show in his seasonal debut in a weak renewal of Aqueduct’s GIII Gotham and once again gets thrown in the deep end in what is shaping up as…
