Late bloomer gets shot at big boys
HOT SPRINGS — The first of two divisions of the Grade I Arkansas Derby for 3-year-old horses is the 11th race on Oaklawn’s 14-race card today.
Post time for the 1 1 / -mile 8 race is scheduled for 5:29 p.m.
The race was split to make room for 22 entrants, but two have been scratched from each division, including Shooters Shoot and Wrecking Crew from the first division.
While the second division appears packed with potential Kentucky Derby favorites, the first has a nearly untested late bloomer whose potential has ignited widespread curiosity.
Charlatan, a son of Speightstown from the California barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, is undefeated in two career starts, both as a 3-year-old at Santa Anita Park. He broke his maiden in a 6-furlong race won in 1:08.85 on Feb. 16, then won against four other optional-claimers in a 1-mile race run in 1:36.24 on March 14.
Charlatan earned Beyer speed figures in those two races of 105 and 106, respectively. The latter is eight higher than any other horse in either division.
Efforts such as Charlatan’s come at a physical price, and Baffert said eight weeks off since the last run was probably needed.
“He ran a big number, so I gave him a little extra time,” Baffert said.
Charlatan is the even-money favorite on the morning line, but Baffert said he is concerned about his post position in the No. 1 stall.
“I hate the one-hole,” Baffert said. “I never do like it. He’s got to break. From the one-hole, you’ve got to use them up a little bit harder early, just like you would if you were on the outside.”
Martin Garcia is listed at Charlatan’s rider.
Gouverneur Morris, a son of Constitution from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, is the 9-2 second choice. He finished second in Keeneland’s 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Futurity on Oct. 5,
and was fourth in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 28. Both races offered Kentucky Derby qualifying points.
John Velazquez is set to ride Gouverneur Morris.
“He’s had three good breezes since he ran in the Florida Derby, so we’re happy with the progress he’s made,” Pletcher said. “This will be his third start off the layoff, and we’re hoping for a good, honest pace. I think he’s a horse that’s looking to kind of settle and make a run. It was difficult to do that last time at Gulfstream, with the track being kind of speed favoring and not much pace in the race. Kind of had to chase them a little bit the whole way. I thought he finished with good interest. He’s come back and done well since then, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen trains two first-division entrants, led by Basin.
Basin won the Grade I, 7-furlong Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He finished third in Oaklawn’s Grade II, 1 1/16-mile Rebel Stakes on March 14, and fourth in the 11/8-mile Oaklawn Stakes on April 11.
“We definitely haven’t gotten the best of Basin yet this year,” Asmussen said. “This is his third start off the layoff, so it’s time to get it done.
“The weather looks good this weekend after catching off tracks in his other two races. There’s certainly more there.”
Charlatan has been overseen by Baffert’s top assistant Jim Barnes since they arrived at Oaklawn earlier this week.
“He looks to be the real one,” Barnes said. “Coming over to our stable, he was highly regarded, and we knew we were probably going to be working with something special. He looks to be the real one, but he’s got to make the next step up. He ran against a lesser allowance division last time, and he’s had to travel now to get in with the big guns. Hopefully, he should step up and move on.”
Each division of the Arkansas Derby offers 170 points for the Kentucky Derby, with 100, 40, 20 and 10 going to first through fourth, respectively. Each purse is $500,000.