Oaklawn Park's Arkansas Derby weekend fields shape up

While Oaklawn’s annual Racing Festival of the South begins April 12 with the $500,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3), the focus is on what follows.

The Festival continues April 13 with the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles and the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap for older horses at 6 furlongs.

Early Arkansas Derby probables include Galilean, Gray Attempt, Improbable, Last Judgement, Long Range Toddy, Omaha Beach, One Flew South and Six Shooter. 

Gray Attempt, under Stewart Elliott, recorded a 5-furlong bullet workout after the first renovation break Friday morning for trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs. Breezing over a muddy track, Gray Attempt went from the half-mile pole to the 7-furlong pole in :58.60 and galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:11.60. Fires said Elliott, who won the 2004 Arkansas Derby on Smarty Jones, will have the mount for the major Kentucky Derby prep.

“I told him to just let him work like he wanted to,” Fires said. “He gives you everything you want. You can make him go faster than that, but you don’t want to. He’ll give you pretty much all you need.”

Gray Attempt is a two-time stakes winner at the meet, claiming the $150,000 Smarty Jones Jan. 25 in his two-turn debut and the $125,000 Gazebo at 6 furlongs March 23. Gray Attempt won both races in front-running fashion. 

Also working after the first renovation break Friday morning was One Flew South, who breezed 6 furlongs from the gate in 1:13.40 under Hall of Fame jockey Calvin Borel. One Flew South is exiting a fifth-place finish in the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby Feb. 24 at Sunland Park for trainer Doug O’Neill.

In addition to Long Range Toddy, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen could start Jersey Agenda, Laughing Fox and Tikhvin Flew.

Long Range Toddy (first division) and Omaha Beach (second division) won the split $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) March 16, the final major local prep for the Arkansas Derby.

Expected starters for the Oaklawn Handicap include Giant Expectations, Quip and Rated R Superstar.

Quip won the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and ran second in the Arkansas Derby last year for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Rated R Superstar won the $350,000 Essex Handicap March 16, the final major local prep for the Oaklawn Handicap.  

Whitmore will be shooting for his third consecutive Count Fleet victory for co-owner/trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs.

Post positions for the three races will be drawn Wednesday. The draw will for the Arkana

Two more Festival races will be run April 14 – the $750,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles and the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horses at 1 1/16 miles. 

Early probables for the Apple Blossom include Chocolate Martini, Escape Clause, Midnight Bisou and Wonder Gadot.

Midnight Bisou won the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 16, the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom. Wonder Gadot beat males in the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown last year, including the $1 million Queen’s Plate.

Post positions for Apple Blossom and Fifth Season will be drawn Thursday.

Going back to the Fantasy, a Hall of Fame jockey will be bidding for his fourth victory in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies. Trainer Tom Van Berg said Friday morning that Mike Smith has the assignment on Motion Emotion for the first time in the Fantasy, the final major local prep for the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 3 at Churchill Downs.

Jon Court has ridden Motion Emotion in her last three starts, including powerful front-running victories in a Jan. 25 maiden special weight event and a first-level allowance Feb. 17, her first start around two turns. Motion Emotion again opened a clear early lead in her last start, the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles March 9, only to be caught late by Chocolate Kisses.

“Just an unfortunate situation last time,” Van Berg said, adding he believed Motion Emotion would be tracking Raintree Starlet in the Honeybee. “Sometimes you get a little excited. I think the race before, she did it so easy on the front end … she’s very deceiving. She’s got such a high cruising speed.”

Smith won the Fantasy, Oaklawn’s biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies, in 1993 (Aztec Hill), 2011 (Joyful Victory) and 2012 (Mamma Kimbo).   

Other early problems for the Fantasy, according to the Oaklawn racing department, include Brill, Destiny Over Fate, Lady Apple, Oxy Lady and Warrior Empress. 

Post positions for the Fantasy will be drawn Saturday.