Arkansas Derby

Notes:
As the final race in the Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series that offers 100 points to the winner, Oaklawn Park s signature race figures to be a contentious affair with only one entrant, Oxbow, currently possessing enough points (36) to likely be able to run for the roses. The G2 Rebel S. runner up won t have to face his conqueror from that race, stablemate Will Take Charge, who is training up to the first Saturday in May. But he will have to face a pair of Bob Baffert trainees as the Hall of Famer goes for his second straight Arkansas Derby. Baffert s lightly raced and rapidly improving War Academy was made the 2/1 morning line favorite over Oxbow s 5/2. Though far less experienced, War Academy enters off a sharp optional claiming score at Santa Anita. The son of Giant s Causeway will be making his first start outside of the Golden State. He ll be joined by stablemate Den s Legacy, a consistent, hard-knocking sort who returns to Hot Springs after picking up the Rebel show check. Future Hall of Fame conditioner Todd Pletcher will be represented by Overanalyze, who disappointed with a 5 th -place finish as the favorite in Aqueduct s G3 Gotham S. on 3/2. But that was his 1 st start off a layoff, and he can be expected to improve here. Texas Bling, from the little known barn of Danele Durham, has a stakes win and placing on his resume and gets Calvin Borel in the irons after running 4 th in the Rebel under Cliff Berry. Like Texas Bling, Heaven s Runway is a locally-based runner with a stakes win and placing. He was a distant 3 rd in the sloppy Southwest S. here but did beat seven foes in that contest. The well-traveled Falling Sky won the G3 Sam Davis S. at Tampa then checked in 3 rd in that track s Derby. He returned to Palm Meadows after that then shipped to Churchill Downs, where he was expected to head to Keeneland for the G1 Blue Grass S. Trainer John Terranova II opted to keep him on dirt, so he ll try to add to his current 20 point total in this spot. Frac Daddy is another shipper whose plans were changed. Conditioner Ken McPeek was leaning towards the G3 Illinois Derby but changed his mind after this colt worked well with Blue Grass S. entrant Java s War. He ll need a dramatic form reversal from what he s shown as a sophomore. Rushaway S. runner up Divine Ambition is cross-entered as an AE in the Blue Grass S. after originally targeting the Lexington S. Carve is the only entrant not eligible for the Triple Crown and was claimed from his winning debut. He was last seen finishing mid-pack in the Rebel.

Arkansas Derby is a Grade1 horse racing event that is organized at Oaklawn Park. It has a purse value of 1,000,000. Horses that can cover a distance of 9 furlongs may participate in the race.

Arkansas Derby Past Winners

Year	Winner	Trainer	Jockey	Owner	Time
2013	Overanalyze	Todd Pletcher	Rafael Bejarano	Repole Stable	1:51.94
2012	Secret Circle	Bob Baffert	Rafael Bejarano	Watson/Pegram/Weitman	1:44.55
2011	The Factor	Bob Baffert	Martin Garcia	Fog City Stable & G. Bolton	1:42.19
2010	Lookin at Lucky	Bob Baffert	Garrett Gomez	Mike Pegram/Watson/Weitman	1:43.06
2009	Win Willy	McLean Robertson	Cliff Berry	Jer-Mar Stable LLC	1:44.41
2008	Sierra Sunset	Jeff Bonde	Chris Emigh	Lebherz/Mariani/Schmitt/Wirth	1:43.88
2007	Curlin	Steve Asmussen	Robby Albarado	Padua Stables et al.	1:44.70
2006	Lawyer Ron	Robert E. Holthus	John McKee	James T. Hines, Jr.	1:44.09
2005	Greater Good	Robert E. Holthus	John McKee	Lewis Lakin	1:44.92
2004	Smarty Jones	John Servis	Stewart Elliott	Roy & Patricia Chapman	1:42.07
2003	Crowned King	Billy McKeever	Chandra Rennie	McKeever Racing Stable	1:44.00
2002	Windward Passage	Steve Asmussen	Donnie Meche	Team Valor	1:45.06
2001	Crafty Shaw	Peter M. Vestal	Joe Johnson	Lucky Seven Stable	1:43.82
2000	Snuck In	Steve Asmussen	Cash Asmussen	Ackerley Bros. Farm	1:42.99
1999	Etbauer	Steve J. Wren	Mike E. Smith	K & H. Biggs	1:44.00
1998	Victory Gallop	W. Elliott Walden	Eibar Coa	Prestonwood Farm Inc.	1:44.60
1997	Phantom On Tour	Lynn S. Whiting	Larry Melancon	W. Cal Partee	1:42.80
1996	Ide	Peter M. Vestal	Craig Perret	Willmott Stables	1:44.00
1995	Mystery Storm	Larry Robideaux	Craig Perret	David Beard	1:44.40
1994	Judge T C	Gary G. Hartlage	Joe Johnson	Bea & R. H. Roberts	1:44.00
1993	Dalhart	Tom Bohannan	Mike E. Smith	Loblolly Stable	1:42.20
1992	Pine Bluff	Tom Bohannan	Jerry D. Bailey	Loblolly Stable	1:42.80
1991	Quintana	David C. Cross	David Guillory	Gary M. Garber	1:42.60
1990	Nuits St. Georges	Douglas Peterson	Jamie Bruin	Photini Jaffe	1:46.00
1989	Manastash Ridge	D. Wayne Lukas	Antonio Castanon	Tayhill Stables	1:43.00
1988	Sea Trek	Gary G. Hartlage	Patrick A. Johnson	Diana Stable	1:42.60
1987	Demons Begone	Philip M. Hauswald	Pat Day	Loblolly Stable	1:41.40
1986	Rare Brick	Tony Foyt	Mike E. Smith	Pin Oak Stable & A. J. Foyt	1:43.20
1985	Clever Allemont	Lynn S. Whiting	Pat Day	W. Cal Partee	1:44.40
1984	Vanlandingham	C. R. McGaughey III	Pat Day	Loblolly Stable	1:41.00
1983	Sunny's Halo	David C. Cross, Jr.	Larry Snyder	David J. Foster	1:42.20
1982	Bold Style	Jack Van Berg	Larry Snyder	L. Mayer	1:43.80
1981	Bold Ego	Dennis Werre	John Lively	Double B Ranch & J. Kidd	1:41.40
1980	Temperence Hill	Joseph B. Cantey	Darrell Haire	Loblolly Stable	1:42.80
1979	Lucy's Axe	Joseph B. Cantey	Eddie Maple	Mrs. L. Close	1:45.80
1978	Chop Chop Tomahawk	E. Jackson	Larry Snyder	Daybreak Farm	1:42.40
1977	United Holme	Robert E. Holthus	Jorge Tejeira	Lofton & Robert E. Holthus	1:42.20
1976	Riverside Sam	E. Jackson	Garth Patterson	Daybreak Farm	1:41.60
1975	Promised City	Larry Spraker	David E. Whited	Big I Farm	1:44.40
1974	Perfect Aim	Harold Tinker	Geary E. Louviere	W. Cal Partee	1:44.40
1973	Game Lad	David R. Vance	A. Herrera	Dan Lasater	1:41.20
1972	Our Trade Winds	Robert E. Holthus	Lonnie Ray	R. Mitchell	1:42.60
1971	Compte Deux	Ike K. Mourar	Don Brumfield	Robert E. Lehmann	1:44.40
1970	Admiral's Shield	Harvey L. Vanier	Stanley A. Spencer	W. C. Robinson	1:44.00
1969	Traffic Mark	Ronnie G. Warren	Phil I. Grimm	M/M Robert F. Roberts	1:42.80
1968	Etony	H. Holcomb	J. Pagano	G. B. Newbill	1:43.80
1967	Betemight	Doug M. Davis, Jr.	Henry Moreno	G. M. Holtsinger & M. Davis	1:40.80
1966	Timely Move	Charlie Vinci	M. Freed	Cantor & Hill	1:42.20
1965	Swift Ruler	Gin L. Collins	Larry Spraker	E. Allen	1:44.20
1964	Spike Nail	Robert E. Holthus	Ronnie J. Campbell	C. O. Viar	1:43.00
1963	Devil It Is	G. Alberico	Robert Gallimore	Bar-Al-Mar Stable	1:45.00
1962	Treasury Note	Henry Forrest	Wayne Chambers	J. C. Pollard	1:42.40
1961	Bass Clef	Anthony W. Rupelt	Ronald Baldwin	Vera E. Smith	1:42.40