Two more Arkansas Derby scratches narrow Saturday's fields

And then there were nine -- that is, runners apiece in split divisions of the Grade 1, $500,000 Arkansas Derby field.

Oaklawn Park's communications office on Thursday announced that Wrecking Crew (first division) and Saratogian (second division) are the latest scratches from Saturday's races.

A Peter Miller-trained runner for Rockingham Ranch, Wrecking Crew placed in multiple Grade 1 races at age 2 before finishing fifth to open this season in Santa Anita Park's San Felipe Stakes (G2). A son of Sky Kingdom, Wrecking Crew's scratch follows that of Shooters Shoot, who trainer Peter Eurton said spiked a fever this week.

Both Wrecking Crew and Shooters Shoot were due to participate in the Arkansas Derby flight led by unbeaten Bob Baffert allowance winner Charlatan. It goes as Race 11 at 6:29 p.m. ET.

Wrecking Crew had made the ship to Oaklawn Park. A reason for the defection wasn't immediately available, but the colt did show up for a five-day term on the vet's list in California beginning last Saturday.

Saratogian is an additional scratch from Saturday's second division led by Nadal, the undefeated Rebel Stakes (G2) winner for Baffert. His loaded field, Race 13 at 7:43 p.m. ET, includes four other graded stakes winners in King Guillermo, Silver Prospector, Storm the Court and Wells Bayou

Rodolphe Brisset trains the 3-year-old son of Empire Maker who was installed as a 50-1 shot on the morning line. Brisset said via text message that Saratogian caught "the wrong division" -- that being the tougher of the two Arkansas Derby flights -- and that he was "dealing with protocols" regarding a ship amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ultimately, Saratogian did not make the trip to Oaklawn. Neither did Fast Enough, the other defector from this race, due to a shin issue that flared up following his final work.

Aside from Shooters Shoot, who figured to apply some pace pressure to Charlatan, none of the scratches thus far severely impact the races' makeups. But they will drop odds slightly on the main contenders and stir the debate over whether Oaklawn should have split the Arkansas Derby in the first place.

Saratogian is, by the way, owned by the same group that campaigns Charlatan. A debut winner, he would have entered off a ninth-place allowance finish in his second career start March 27 at Gulfstream Park. The talented Charlatan needed the split, after all, to make it into the Arkansas Derby on limited earnings in his own two starts.

Jennifer Hoyt, head of communications at Oaklawn, said advanced wagering on the Arkansas Derbys began Thursday, but that all four defections may not be reflected on the board until scratch cards are submitted and the moves are deemed official.