Classic Empire draws post 2 for Arkansas Derby

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Last year’s juvenile male champion, Classic Empire, will break from post 2 in a field of 12 for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday. The race was drawn Wednesday and picked up a few new faces following the Monday defection of One Liner.

Classic Empire was scheduled to arrive on the Oaklawn backstretch later Wednesday following a flight from south Florida.

The Arkansas Derby, at 1 1/8 miles, carries 170 eligibility points for the Kentucky Derby and awards them to its first four finishers on a scale of 100-4020-10. Oaklawn plans to open its infield for the card, which traditionally attracts a crowd of more than 60,000. The card also will include the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap, led by Midnight Storm; the Grade 3, $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap, which drew Whitmore; and the $150,000 Northern Spur.

Classic Empire, the winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, will be making his second start of the year, following a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Holy Bull on Feb. 4 at Gulfstream Park. Trainer Mark Casse has named Julien Leparoux to ride the 8-5 morning-line favorite.

The Arkansas Derby will go as the 11th on a 12-race closingday program that starts at 12:30 p.m. Central. The approximate post for the race is 6:18.

The field, from the rail with riders, is: Rockin Rudy, Mario Gutierrez; Classic Empire, Leparoux; Silver Dust, Corey Lanerie; Petrov, Ricardo Santana Jr.; Grandpa’s Dream, Alex Canchari; Lookin At Lee, Luis Contreras; Sonneteer, Kent Desormeaux; Rowdy the Warrior, Luis Quinonez; Untrapped, Mike Smith; One Dreamy Dude, Geovanni Franco; Conquest Mo Money, Jorge Carreno; and Malagacy, Javier Castellano.

Malagacy won the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel at Oaklawn in his last start March 18. He was traveling to Oaklawn on the same flight as Classic Empire.

There will be a handful of equipment changes for the Arkansas Derby. One Dreamy Dude and Rockin Rudy will remove blinkers, while Silver Dust and Untrapped will add the equipment. Untrapped has worked with blinkers in his last two drills. Silver Dust galloped in blinkers Tuesday after he stood in the gate for trainer Randy Morse.

“He’s been running in spurts,” Morse said Tuesday. “He’ll run a ways, and he kind of backs off. I talked to Corey Lanerie, and he thought it would be a good idea.”

The forecast for Saturday is for a high of 79 degrees and a 40 percent chance of precipitation.

Oaklawn Handicap gets seven

Midnight Storm drew post 3 in a field of seven for the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap on Saturday. Entries were drawn Wednesday.

The field from the rail is: Texas Chrome, Domain’s Rap, Midnight Storm, Madefromlucky, Inside Straight, Cutacorner, and Goats Town.

Accelerate was intended for the Oaklawn Handicap upon his Tuesday arrival from Southern California, but he spiked a fever Wednesday morning and was withdrawn from the race, according to trainer John Sadler.

The Oaklawn Handicap, at 1 1/8 miles, will go as the ninth race Saturday. Mike Smith has the mount on Midnight Storm for trainer Phil D’Amato. The horse was one of eight from Southern California who flew to Arkansas on Tuesday.

Others making the flight included Rockin Rudy and Sonneteer for the Arkansas Derby; Moe Candy for the Grade 3, $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on Saturday; Cistron for the $150,000 Northern Spur on Saturday; and Spooky Woods, who goes Friday in the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy. Stellar Wind, the champion 3-yearold filly of 2015, was also on the flight and runs Friday in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom.

The Count Fleet drew nine horses, with probable favorite Whitmore to break from post 8. The Northern Spur, for 3-yearolds at 1 1/16 miles, goes with seven, including Balandeen.