Derby draws a crowd
Classic Empire favorite in 2 hole
HOT SPRINGS — The Arkansas Derby post-position draw is set up to draw a crowd at Oaklawn Park.
One person draws a number and another horse’s name from separate opaque containers. They repeat the procedure as many times as the number of entrants requires, just as with any other race.
The difference for the $1 million Grade I Arkansas Derby draw is that it’s held on a stage immediately below the grandstands rather than in the track’s racing office. Typical of the occasion Wednesday, several hundred racetrack patrons mingled with horsemen, Oaklawn staff members, local and national media and owners as the draw was settled 45 minutes before the day’s first race.
Morning-line odds are also part of the presentation, and 2-year-old champion Classic Empire —
trained by Mark Casse — opens as the 8-5 favorite in the second post. Rebel Stakes winner and Todd Pletcher trainee Malagacy is listed at 2-1 on the far outside post in the Arkansas Derby field of 12, which is scheduled to race Saturday on the final day of Oaklawn’s live season.
Untrapped, trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Michael Langford of Jonesboro, will start from the ninth gate and is listed as the third choice at 6-1. Untrapped finished third in the Rebel and is the highest rated horse who has raced at Oaklawn.
With Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith committed to ride Untrapped, Langford said he is not worried about the outside post position. He said bringing in Smith for the race was Asmussen’s call.
“I don’t have to think or do anything with Steve,” Langford said. “All I know is I’m going to get a check at the first of the month, and my horses are in good hands.”
Other Oaklawn veterans entered to start the Arkansas Derby are Silver Dust, trained by Randy Morse, who finished fifth in the Rebel and fourth in Oaklawn’s Southwest Stakes; Petrov, trained by Ron Moquett, who was second in Oaklawn’s Smarty Jones and Southwest Stakes and fourth in the Rebel; Grandpa’s Dream, trained by Chris Hartman; Lookin at Lee, another Asmussen trainee who finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; Sonneteer, second in the Rebel despite 112-1 odds; Rowdy the Warrior, trained by Donnie K. Von Hemel and listed at 301; and One Dreamy Dude, a maiden who is winless in six starts, including five at Oaklawn, trained by Jack Van Berg.
One Dreamy Dude is listed a 50-1 on the morning line. His owner, Mike Waters, said he left the choice to enter his colt to Van Berg.
“The second we bought this horse last June, Jack told me he thought he was a Kentucky Derby contender,” Waters said. “He actually said he hasn’t had a horse like this since [1987 Kentucky Derby winner] Alysheba. We’re just going to go out there and have fun and hope for the best. You know, it’s been 30 years since Jack won the Derby, and any chance to get him back there would just be awesome.”