Arkansas Derby 2020: Post positions, odds and more

It's the first Saturday in May. There will be no "Run for the Roses." And it will be Derbys, plural, not the Derby. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Kentucky Derby has been postponed until Sept. 5.

In its place, Oaklawn Park will try to fill the void by supplying split divisions of the Grade 1, $500,000 Arkansas Derby having rescheduled its premier race for 3-year-olds.

Both races carry ramifications for the bigger race this fall with qualifying points paid out on a 100-40-20-10 basis to the top-four finishers.

Bob Baffert-trained Charlatan leads the first division (Race 11, 6:29 p.m. ET), which attracted 11 sophomores but will be contested by no more than nine runners due to the early scratches of Shooters Shoot and Wrecking Crew.

Basin is the only graded stakes winner in the field, and only 30-1 morning line longshot Jungle Runner has been found in the winner's circle of a listed stakes race.

Charlatan was installed as the even-money morning line favorite off speedy maiden and allowance victories on the west coast.

 
Arkansas Derby 1

1. Charlatan, 1-1 (Martin Garcia)

2. My Friends Beer, 20-1 (Declan Cannon)

3. Mo Mosa, 30-1 (Kendrick Carmouche)

4. Gouverneur Morris, 9-2 (John Velazquez)

5. Jungle Runner, 30-1 (Tyler Baze)

6. Shooters Shoot, SCR

7. Wrecking Crew, SCR

8. Anneau d'Or, 6-1 (Juan Hernandez)

9. Winning Impression, 15-1 (Julien Leparoux)

10. Crypto Cash, 20-1 (Corey Lanerie)

11. Basin, 8-1 (Ricardo Santana Jr.)

TimeformUS' Pace Projector shows Charlatan, running from the rail, as the long speed with the scratch of Shooters Shoot. It will be up to the other eight runners to keep jockey Martin Garcia and Baffert's charge from getting out to too comfortable of an early lead.

The second division (Race 13, 7:43 p.m. ET) drew quite a bit tougher, with Oaklawn's Rebel (G2) winner Nadal installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite. He'll likely be joined in the early pace presence by Louisiana Derby (G2) victor Wells Bayou and surprise Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner King Guillermo.

For good measure, 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Storm the Court and multiple graded stakes winner Silver Prospector join the fray in the second division. 

As with the first flight, the second drew a field of 11 but scratched down to nine following the defections of Fast Enough and Saratogian.

 
Arkansas Derby 2

1. Finnick the Fierce, 15-1 (Martin Garcia)

2. Saratogian, SCR

3. Storm the Court, 6-1 (Flavien Prat)

4. King Guillermo, 3-1 (Samy Camacho Jr.)

5. Nadal, 5-2 (Joel Rosario)

6. Code Runner, 50-1 (Stewart Elliott)

7. Silver Prospector, 10-1 (Ricardo Santana Jr.)

8. Fast Enough, SCR

9. Taishan, 15-1 (David Cohen)

10. Farmington Road, 12-1 (Javier Castellano)

11. Wells Bayou, 7-2 (Florent Geroux)

The pace for the second division is designated as "fast." Curiously, Nadal is possible to get out-gunned on the front by King Guillermo and Wells Bayou. Will the favorite be able to rate?

Arkansas Derby on TV

NBC Sports Network will simulcast TVG's Trackside Live from 6-8 p.m. ET, while America's Day at the Races airs on Fox Sports 1 from 1-8 before switching to Fox Sports 2 for another half hour of coverage through the end of the card at 8:30.

Arkansas Derby handicapping
• Expert Arkansas Derby picks • Free Past Performances • Head to Head: Top selections
Arkansas Derby undercard

Three of the 14 races on Saturday's Oaklawn Park card are graded stakes, with the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses sandwiched between the Arkansas Derbys. This final day of the Oaklawn meet concludes with its traditional 1 3/4-mile marathon.

All post times are Eastern.

Race 1: Starter Allowance (1 p.m.)

Race 2: Maiden Special Weight (1:32 p.m.)

Race 3: Allowance (2:04 p.m.)

Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (2:36 p.m.)

Race 5: Allowance Optional Claiming (3:10 p.m.)

Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (3:44 p.m.)

Race 7: Allowance Optional Claiming (4:16 p.m.)

Race 8: Allowance (4:47 p.m.)

Race 9: Allowance Optional Claiming (5:19 p.m.)

Race 10: Allowance Optional Claiming (5:54 p.m.)

Race 11: $500,000 Grade 1 Arkansas Derby Div. 1 (6:29 p.m.)

Race 12: $600,000 Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap (7:04 p.m.)

Race 13: $500,000 Grade 1 Arkansas Derby Div. 2 (7:43 p.m.)

Race 14: Starter Allowance (8:14 p.m.)

What they're saying...

Quotes on select Arkansas Derby contenders from Oaklawn Park Communications...

Trainer Bob Baffert on Charlatan: “I hate the 1 hole. I never do like it. He’s got to break. From the 1 hole, you’ve got to use them up a little bit harder early, just like you would if you were on the outside.”

Baffert on Nadal: “He ran a big number, so it gave him a little extra time,” he said, referring to the Arkansas Derby’s new date since the Rebel Stakes win. “They’re both doing fantastic. I think Nadal, for some reason, he doesn’t get the respect that he should be getting. He’s a really top horse.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher on Gouverneur Morris: “He’s had three good breezes since he ran in the Florida Derby, so we’re happy with the progress he’s made. This will be his third start off the layoff and we’re hoping for a good, honest pace. I think he’s a horse that’s looking to kind of settle and make a run. It was difficult to do that last time at Gulfstream, with the track being kind of speed favoring and not much pace on in the race. Kind of had to chase them a little bit the whole way. I thought he finished with good interest. He’s come back and done well since then, so we’re looking forward to it."

Trainer Steve Asmussen on Basin: “We definitely haven’ gotten the best of Basin this year. This is his third start off the layoff, so it’s time to get it done. The weather looks good this weekend after catching two off tracks. There’s a lot more there.”

Trainer Brad Cox on Wells Bayou: “I would have probably preferred to have drawn down to the inside with this horse.He’s probably going to do something … it’s weird, this horse always draws down toward the inside, so this is going to be something different for him. I don’t think he’s going to be fast enough to break and clear. We’ll see how it unfolds. That will be Florent’s job. But I do know the horse is doing extremely well and he’s going to bring his ‘A’ race. But, once again, I don’t think he’s going to get the trip that he got in the Louisiana Derby. But I do know that he can get the distance and if he runs his race, he’s going to be a factor in the end."

Trainer Peter Eurton on Storm the Court: “He’s got natural speed and he doesn’t have to be on the lead, which I don’t think he’s going to be. But he generally breaks pretty good and we’ll let him run out of there and see how it unfolds.”