Answer In, Finnick the Fierce Battle at Oaklawn

Although COVID-19-related cancellations have eliminated or postponed numerous preps this spring leading toward the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), not all Derby hopefuls remain idle. A full field of 12 3-year-olds—including a couple with Derby points, Answer In and Finnick the Fierce—are part of a $61,000 first-level allowance race April 4 at Oaklawn Park, where racing continues without spectators. 

Favored at 3-1 on the morning line and likely to drop to an even lower price in the 1 1/16-mile dirt race is Answer In, who comes off two consecutive stakes placings. In December, he narrowly missed in the Remington Springboard Mile Stakes, finishing a head behind Shoplifted, and he followed with a third in the Feb. 17 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn.

Video: Southwest S. (G3)

Though beaten 6 1/2 lengths in the Southwest by Silver Prospector, Answer In's performance was solid, coming in a fast, productive race. Runner-up Wells Bayou returned to win the March 21 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and fifth-place Taishan was a follow-up 4 3/4-length allowance winner at Oaklawn March 14.

His two stakes placings have left Answer In with six points toward the Derby, one more than Finnick the Fierce. Both are gelded sons of Dialed In , who stands for $20,000 at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky.

Joe Talamo will ride Answer In for trainer Brad Cox and owners Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables.

Late-running Finnick the Fierce, who is unplaced in two starts this year, can challenge with a return to the form he exhibited in his final start at 2 when second in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. That day, he rallied from seventh to finish three-quarters of a length behind Silver Prospector while finishing a head in front of third-place Tiz the Law, last week's Curlin Florida Derby (G1) winner.

This winter at Fair Grounds, he ran fourth in the Jan. 18 Lecomte Stakes (G3), beaten seven lengths, and seventh, beaten 4 1/4 lengths, in the second division of the Feb. 15 Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) following a troubled start. He was scratched from the March 14 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park, and his scheduled start in a March 26 allowance race at Turfway was canceled because of the pandemic.

Rey Hernandez, who trains and co-owns Finnick the Fierce with Arnaldo Monge, has named Martin Garcia to ride.

Other promising sophomores in the lineup include Stackin Silver, third in the Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park; General Trev, a homebred Constitution  gelding who won his only start for owner Jerry Durant; and Winning Impression and Fort Knox, who exit Fair Grounds, where they ran well in routes over the winter.

The allowance Saturday could produce starters toward the Arkansas Derby (G1) if it takes place as scheduled May 2.