Texarkana owners seek Derby

It turns out that Arkansas has another rooting interest in the 150th Kentucky Derby.

Alan and Kerry Ribble, of Texarkana, own Honor Marie, the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club winner in November at Derby site Churchill Downs. Louisville native Whit Beckham, formerly with Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, scored his first stakes victory last summer at Kentucky Downs, going out on his own in 2021.

The Honor Code colt is produced by Smart Strike’s daughter Dame Marie and foaled by Kentucky breeder Royce Pulliam. Ben Curtis has the mount, Honor Marie drawing post seven and listed 20-1 on the morning line.

Curtis gained the mount after Rafael Bejarano rode in the Jockey Club. Bejarano, without a Derby starter, rides Saturday at Oaklawn.

A debut maiden winner at Churchill Downs, Honor Marie comes off a Grade 2 Louisiana Derby second March 23. Though Honor Marie has not raced at Oaklawn, the Louisiana Derby had an Oaklawn-raced stakes winner, Catching Freedom, trained by Brad Cox, also from Louisville.

The Ribbles entered the sport at the behest of Kerry Ribble’s father, Tommy Lynch saying “y’all ought to get a horse.” Kerry remembers that her father, now 86, would wake up early to buy Daily Racing Form. She grew up in Magnolia, hometown of the late Cal Partee, the only sole Arkansas owner of a Kentucky Derby winner (Lil E. Tee in 1992).

“I just have always been around horse talk,” she said. “It was just maybe in my blood and that evolved into buying horses.”

“I’m not sure we encouraged them to get in at this level,” said Lynch, “but we certainly encouraged them to get into the horse world.”

Derby starters include Oaklawn-raced stakes winner Mystik Dan (trainer Ken McPeek) and Grade 1-placed Just Steel (Wayne Lukas). Early wagering on the mile-and-quarter race, with 20 horses, continues today with post time Saturday at 5:57 p.m.