Multiple published reports confirmed Tuesday that Bob Baffert’s star 3-year-old Charlatan was one of two horses from the Hall of Fame trainer’s barn testing positive for lidocaine in a post-race sample taken on Arkansas Derby Day May 2. The New York Times reported the second horse was Gamine, a filly […]
Tag: Arkansas Derby
What Did We Learn About Major Kentucky Derby Hopefuls?
The Arkansas Derby is behind us and a work-in-progress Kentucky Derby Trail lies in front of us. With tracks around the country beginning to open again in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and Churchill Downs officials still mapping out prep races, it’s a good time to see where the […]
Deep End of Arkansas Derby Pool is Smack Dab in Second Division
With the Arkansas Derby’s split divisions, here runs the talent. The Arkansas Derby’s second division features your graded-stakes winners, your low-odds Kentucky Derby futures picks and the horses owning Derby prep victories. Here is the Arkansas Derby’s varsity division – the second division. This is where you find your Louisiana […]
Arkansas Derby’s First Division Features Charlatan — and Not Much Else
If you picture Saturday’s Arkansas Derby’s two divisions as a high school sport, the first division would be the junior varsity. And not just because it goes to post an hour and 44 minutes before the second division. With few exceptions, the first division is the JV. There’s no other […]
King Guillermo Heading in the Right Direction for Ex-MLB All-Star Victor Martinez
Perhaps it was the unfamiliarity of being outside his Florida home for the first time. Perhaps it was nerves at realizing he’d reached the big time. Or perhaps this was King Guillermo’s way of announcing his arrival at Oaklawn Park for Saturday’s Arkansas Derby. Whatever the reason, King Guillermo announced […]
Split Decisions: Arkansas Derby Breaks Into Two Divisions
Given the intense interest in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby amid the coronavirus pandemic, the move was as expected as it was unprecedented. And Oaklawn Park made it official Sunday, splitting Saturday’s final scheduled Kentucky Derby prep into two divisions. Both 11-horse divisions will race for a $500,000 purse, and […]
Storm the Court Ready to Conquer New Turf in Arkansas Derby
Juvenile champion Storm the Court will storm a non-California track for the first time at next week’s $750,000 Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, trainer Peter Eurton announced this week. The 1 1/8-mile race at Oaklawn Park remains the only official Kentucky Derby prep currently on the schedule, which explains its popularity. […]
Overflowing Arkansas Derby Field May Require Two Divisions
It’s the only Kentucky Derby prep currently on the calendar, which explains why the Arkansas Derby is popular these days. But 99 nominations popular? To paraphrase Roy Scheider’s character from “Jaws†– “Someone’s gonna need a bigger race.†Oaklawn Park published the Arkansas Derby nominations list over the weekend, a […]
Bob Baffert Solves Scheduling Problem For His ‘Superstar Material’ 3-Year-Olds
The Arkansas Derby for Charlatan and Nadal, the Oaklawn Stakes for Thousand Words, and time off for Authentic. That’s Bob Baffert’s solution for the “problem†of where he next sends his murderer’s row of talented 3-year-olds. In an interview with Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey of NBC Sports on Wednesday, […]
Oaklawn Park Moves Arkansas Derby From April To May
Oaklawn Park in Arkansas became the latest facility to adjust its calendar in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, moving its flagship race – the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby – from Saturday, April 11 to Saturday, May 2. That is Oaklawn Park’s closing date. It was also the original date for […]