Renegade leads the charge in nine-horse Arkansas Derby

Renegade was installed the 3-2 program favorite for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby on March 28 at Oaklawn.

Post positions for the 1 1/8-mile race were drawn early Saturday afternoon, with Renegade among nine horses entered in Oaklawn's fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying race.

Renegade is trained by Todd Pletcher, a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, and co-owned by Robert and Lawana Low, who teamed to win the 2018 Arkansas Derby with Magnum Moon. The Lows also bred Renegade.

The Arkansas Derby will award 200 total points to its top five finishers (100-50-25-15-10) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

Renegade, a son of super sire Into Mischief, hasn't started since winning the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs. Renegade closed his 2-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish in the Remsen Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles Dec. 6 at Aqueduct.

Napoleon Solo, a Grade 1 winner at 2, was a supplemental nominee.

Silent Tactic, trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, will be the lone horse to compete in all four of Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby qualifying races after finishing second behind stablemate Strategic Risk in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 3, winning the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 6 and finishing second in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 1. All three races were at 1 1/16 miles.

Grade 2 winner Litmus Test for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and Blackout Time for Kenny McPeek finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Rebel.

Litmus Test and Blackout Time completed major preparations for the Arkansas Derby with half-mile workouts over a fast track Saturday morning at Oaklawn. Both went in :48.4.

Blackout Time, under retired two-time Oaklawn riding champion Robby Albarado, breezed with older stablemate Render Judgment.

"Just maintenance," Albarado said. "It was the last work before he runs. We wanted to go an easy half-mile with him. He was heads-up with Render Judgment. He's a good horse, also. Just maintain fitness with him (Blackout Time). Keep our fingers crossed for another week."

Taptastic, a March 8 career debut winner at one mile for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, also worked Saturday morning. Taptastic covered five furlongs in 1:02.0.

Baffert and Pletcher have each won the Arkansas Derby a record five times. Asmussen is a four-time Arkansas Derby winner. Casse has won the Arkansas Derby twice, including last year with Sandman.

Bricklin is cross-entered in Thursday's $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes for 3-year-olds at one mile for trainer Rodolphe Brisset.