The Arkansas Derby is a dirt track horse race exclusively for three-year-olds that takes place annually in April at Oaklawn Park, located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This prestigious race, which covers a distance of 1 1/8 miles, currently holds a Grade I status.
Oaklawn Park, home of the Arkansas Derby, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004 by providing a $5 million bonus to any horse that could win its three-year-old graded stakes, namely the Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby, and subsequently emerge victorious in the Kentucky Derby. Smarty Jones became the first horse to claim this bonus. The horse's subsequent performances in the Triple Crown helped to increase the participation of the finest three-year-olds in the nation. As a result, in 2010, the American Graded Stakes Committee elevated the Arkansas Derby's status to Grade I.
American Pharoah is the star of the Arkansas Derby winners. He's famous because he won the Triple Crown, something that hadn't happened in 37 years and only 11 other horses have ever achieved. He's also the first Arkansas Derby champ to win the Triple Crown. Just like Smarty Jones, he won both the Rebel and Arkansas Derby before finally winning the Kentucky Derby.
Saturday, April 1, 2023 // Oaklawn Park
| RACE // PURSE | TYPE // SURFACE | DISTANCE // TIME |
|---|---|---|
| Race 1 // $110K | Maiden // Dirt | 6 Furlongs // 1:30PM ET |
| Race 2 // $125K | Allowance // Dirt | 6 Furlongs // 2:00PM ET |
| Race 3 // $125K | Allowance // Dirt | 5 1/2 Furlongs // 2:30PMPM ET |
| Race 4 // $110K | Maiden // Dirt | 6 Furlongs // 3:00PM ET |
| Race 5 // $400K | Oaklawn Mile S. // Dirt | 1 Mile // 3:32PM ET |
| Race 6 // $110K | Maiden // Dirt | 6 Furlongs // 4:08PM ET |
| Race 7 // $125K | Allowance // Dirt | 6 Furlongs // 4:44PM ET |
| Race 8 // $200K | Hot Springs S. // Dirt | 1 Mile // 5:19PM ET |
| Race 9 // $110K | Maiden // Dirt | 1 1/16 Miles // 5:55PM ET |
| Race 10 // $600K | Fantasy S. // Dirt | 1 1/16 Miles // 4:04PM ET |
| Race 11 // $125K | Allowance // Dirt | 6 Furlongs // 7:10PM ET |
| Race 12 // $1.25M | Arkansas Derby // Dirt | 1 1/8 Miles // 7:50PM ET |
| Race 13 // $125K | Allowance // Dirt | 1 Mile // 8:25PM ET |
| POST | RUNNER | JOCKEY | TRAINER |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bourbon Bash | Reylu Gutierrez | D. Wayne Lukas |
| 2 | Interlock Empire | David Cabrera | Kenneth G. McPeek |
| 3 | Harlocap | Ricardo Santana, Jr. | Steve Asmussen |
| 4 | Two Eagles River | Nik Juarez | Chris A. Hartman |
| 5 | Airtime | Cristian A. Torres | Robertino Diodoro |
| 6 | Angel of Empire | Flavien Prat | Brad H. Cox |
| 7 | Rocket Can | Junior Alvarado | William I. Mott |
| 8 | Reincarnate | John R. Velazquez | Tim Yakteen |
| 9 | King Russell | Rafael Bejarano | Ron Moquett |
| 10 | Red Route One | Tyler Gaffalione | Steve Asmussen |
| 11 | Kolomio | James Graham | J. Keith Desormeaux |
Recent Winners
| YEAR | WINNER | JOCKEY | TRAINER |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Cyberknife | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox |
| 2021 | Super Stock | Ricardo Santana, Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen |
| 2020 *Race Split Into 2 Divisions | Nadal | Joel Rosario | Bob Baffert |
| 2020 *Race Split Into 2 Divisions | Charlatan | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert |
| 2019 | Omaha Beach | Mike E. Smith | Richard E. Mandella |
By Frank Carulli
The Late Pick 4 pool at Churchill Downs last Friday exceeded $87,000. With 38 entries, four different trainers and jockeys won races. It could be more of the same this Friday, May 23, with large, comp...
By Jeremy Plonk
Memorial Day Monday at Santa Anita features a trio of important stakes, including the Grade 1 Gamely, Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile and the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup. The tradition-rich Gold Cup began in 19...
