Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Charlatan may need help to make Arkansas Derby field
Entries for the May 2 Arkansas Derby will be taken Sunday at Oaklawn Park, and there will be plenty of scoreboard watching, because the number of horses who enter the race will impact whether it is split into two divisions. If it’s not, Charlatan, one of the most highly ranked 3-year-olds in the country, is in danger of not getting in based on the race conditions.
As of Wednesday, Daily Racing Form had 16 confirmed entrants for the Arkansas Derby, a Grade 1, $750,000 race at 1 1/8 miles. Pat Pope, the racing secretary at Oaklawn, on Wednesday said he would only split the race if he gets at least 20 entrants, which would enable him to run two fields of at least 10. Pope said if the race is split, it would be run in two divisions worth $500,000 each, meaning Oaklawn would put up an additional $250,000.
As a stand-alone race, the Arkansas Derby is worth 170 points overall, with 100 to the winner, on the system Churchill Downs uses to determine the field for the Kentucky Derby, now on Sept. 5. Under Churchill Downs’s rules, if the race is split the point value would diminish by a similar percentage to the purse. In other words, each $500,000 division would be worth 113.33 points overall, with 66.67 points to the winner.
If fewer than 20 are entered, and the race is not split, Pope said a maximum of 14 would draw for posts Sunday, with no also-eligibles. According to the race conditions, starting preference in the Arkansas Derby is given to horses “that have accumulated the highest earnings.” Of the 16 who as of Wednesday appeared certain to enter, Charlatan – who is 2 for 2 with maiden and allowance wins at Santa Anita – has the smallest bank account.
Unless a few above him on the earnings list do not enter, or at least four horses on the fence end up going in, Charlatan could wind up in no-man’s land.
Three potential spots in the Arkansas Derby field are reserved for the first three finishers from the Oaklawn Stakes on April 11. However, trainer Bret Calhoun on Wednesday said race winner Mr. Big News would pass the Arkansas Derby. Farmington Road and Taishan, the two-three finishers in the Oaklawn Stakes, are both scheduled to enter.
The remaining 14 expected to enter, in order of earnings, are Storm the Court ($1,232,951), Wells Bayou ($845,293), Nadal ($753,000), Silver Prospector ($719,718), Anneau d’Or ($403,000), Basin ($371,000), King Guillermo ($240,350), Gouverneur Morris ($197,500), Fast Enough ($173,000), American Theorem ($103,267), Crypto Cash ($100,840), Shooters Shoot ($94,880), My Friends Beer ($80,958), and Charlatan ($67,200).
Among the other possible entrants are Finnick the Fierce ($131,490), Blackberry Wine ($96,610), Winning Impression ($43,730), and Mystic Guide ($35,500). Mike Stidham, who trains Mystic Guide, on Wednesday said entering the Arkansas Derby was an “outside possibility but probably not.”
Bob Baffert, who trains Charlatan and Nadal, worked both on Monday at Santa Anita, with Charlatan going seven furlongs in 1:25.60, Nadal six furlongs in 1:11.80.
“They’re both doing really well,” Baffert said.
Both are scheduled to work again this weekend. Their flight to Arkansas is scheduled for Tuesday. Also scheduled to be on that flight are Fast Enough and Eclipse Award winner Storm the Court. Fast Enough worked seven furlongs in 1:24.60 on Monday at Santa Anita. Storm the Court went six furlongs in 1:13.60 that morning at Santa Anita.
Fast Enough, winner of the California Cup Derby and third most recently in the San Vicente, appears to be high enough on the earnings list to make the race without a split. His trainer, Rafael Becerra, was concerned a split would be needed to get in. Fortunately, Becerra will know where he stands two days before the plane leaves.
“I won’t send him unless I know he’s in,” Becerra said.
A fallback for Fast Enough, or Charlatan, or even Anneau d’Or would be clarity on the resumption of racing at Santa Anita – which is currently idle – and a firm date for the Santa Anita Derby, postponed from April 4.
Blaine Wright, who trains Anneau d’Or, on Wednesday said the only way he wouldn’t go to the Arkansas Derby is if Santa Anita “announces they are opening and put a date” on the Santa Anita Derby. Wright would need to know by Sunday, because that’s when Anneau d’Oro is scheduled to leave Golden Gate Fields, where he has been training, for Arkansas.