Ky. Derby trail: Coal Battle is '99% sure' for Arkansas Derby

Coal Battle is scheduled to work Sunday morning in advance of a probable start in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby on March 29 at Oaklawn, trainer Lonnie Briley said.

For several weeks, Coal Battle has been under consideration for the Arkansas Derby and the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on April 5 at Keeneland, with a third option, Briley said, training up to the Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs.

Briley said Friday morning that he’s “99% sure” Coal Battle will run in the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby, which is Oaklawn’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying race.

“He’s feeling good and everything,” Briley said after Coal Battle galloped over Oaklawn’s fast-rated surface. “I kind of need a race in him. It would be 10 weeks before the (Kentucky) Derby if I wouldn’t have done it. It was either the Arkansas Derby or the Blue Grass. The Blue Grass, to me, would have been a little close. And this one’s kind of in the middle, so I’ll probably go in this one.”

Coal Battle hasn’t started since winning the Rebel Stakes (G2) on Feb. 23. The Rebel was Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby qualifying race. Coal Battle also won its first, the Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 4. Both races were 1 1/16 miles. Coal Battle, unbeaten in five career dirt starts, tops the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 70 points.

The Arkansas Derby will award 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points to its top five finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 starters.

Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for the Arkansas Derby.