Bob Baffert has found himself in a familiar position as he once again brings a well-met runner into Saturday's GI Arkansas Derby with all the buzz behind him, this time in the form of 'TDN Rising Star' Cornucopian (Into Mischief), who has been made the 7-5 morning line favorite from the nine hole.
Fresh off an unveiling which garnered the stamp of approval from the TDN, and stopped the clock in a six-furlong maiden special in an eye-catching 1:09.02–the fastest by a 3-year-old in Oaklawn history–the son of Into Mischief will be making just his second career start. Hall of Famer John Velazquez will be in the irons.
Fan-favorite Coal Battle (Coal Front) continues his trek to the Derby as the Listed Smarty Jones and GII Rebel Stakes winner drew right next to the Baffert runner in post eight and given 7-2 morning line odds. The GIII Southwest Stakes hero Speed King (Volatile) has drawn the five slot while the runner-up MGSP Sandman (Tapit), the second choice at 3-1, will jump from post six. The duo comes in from a productive edition of the Southwest as third-place finisher GSW Tiztastic (Tiz the Law) secured his own 100-point Derby race this past Saturday when winning the GII Louisiana Derby.
Publisher (American Pharoah), who is still a maiden, will break from post three and looks to secure a spot in the Derby gate while en route to claiming his first win photo. The morning line has him tabbed at 6-1 odds for trainer Steve Asmussen.
The complete field follows from the rail to the outside:
- Brereton's Baytown (Upstart), 20-1
- First Division (Omaha Beach), 20-1
- Publisher, 6-1
- Bestfriend Rocket (Curlin), 20-1
- Speed King, 15-1
- Sandman, 3-1
- Monet's Magic (Good Magic), 20-1
- Coal Battle, 7-2
- Cornucopian, 7-5
The Arkansas Derby offers 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner, and serves as the main event of a 14-race card Saturday on what will be a busy racing day across the country. The 2024 Arkansas Derby featured eventual GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents), who finished third in the Hot Springs marquee event.
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