Arkansas Derby: Muth, Timberlake are top early choices

Grade 1 winners Muth and Timberlake were installed the top two wagering choices on the morning line for the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds Saturday at Oaklawn.

Muth (8-5) and Timberlake (9-5) were among 10 horses entered Sunday morning in the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby points race. Probable post time is 7:47 p.m. EDT

The Arkansas Derby could award as many as 200 points to its top five finishers, on a 100-50-25-15-10-point basis, toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. The race is limited to 20 starters.

Muth will try to give Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his record-tying fifth Arkansas Derby victory. Muth hasn’t started since winning the San Vicente Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs Jan. 6 at Santa Anita. The son of champion Good Magic, unraced outside California, recorded his biggest career victory to date in the American Pharoah (G1) on Oct. 7 at Santa Anita. Muth closed 2023 with a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

Because of Baffert’s suspension by Churchill Downs Inc., Muth is ineligible for Kentucky Derby qualifying points and to run in the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Trainer Brad Cox bids for his third consecutive Arkansas Derby victory with Timberlake, who launched his 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Rebel Stakes (G2) on Feb. 24 at Oaklawn. The 8 1/2-furlong Rebel was Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby points race.

Timberlake concluded 2023 with a victory in the Champagne Stakes (G3), a one-turn mile, Oct. 7 at Aqueduct and a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. No trainer has won Oaklawn’s Arkansas Derby three consecutive years.

Mystik Dan, the early third choice, is unraced since a dazzling eight-length victory in Oaklawn’s 1 1/16-mile Southwest Stakes (G3) on Feb. 3. The son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents has been based at Fair Grounds since arctic temperatures, snow and rain forced Oaklawn to cancel 11 days of training in January. The Southwest was Oaklawn’s second Kentucky Derby points race.

Just Steel and Liberal Arts were second and third, respectively, in the Southwest. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is scheduled to start Rebel fifth-place finisher Dimatic, Imperial Gun and Informed Patriot in search of his fifth Arkansas Derby victory. Informed Patriot finished third in the Smarty Jones on Jan. 1, Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby points race. Smarty Jones winner Catching Freedom returned to win the Louisiana Derby (G2) Saturday at Fair Grounds for Cox.