Kentucky Derby Hopefuls Compete in Oaklawn Stakes

In a customary year, points-earning opportunities for 3-year-olds on the Road to the Kentucky Derby would conclude this weekend with the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland and the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park.

Little about 2020 is customary in the midst of COVID-19. The Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs is delayed until Sept. 5, the entire meet at Keeneland was canceled, and the postponement of Derby preps took place at other tracks.

Still, the sport continues at a handful of locations without spectators, including at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., the only track to host a stakes race for 3-year-olds April 11. On deck is the $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile race that had its inaugural running May 4, 2019, as a prep for the Preakness Stakes (G1). The winner, the Steve Asmussen-trained Laughing Fox, ran fifth in the Preakness.

This year, the Oaklawn Stakes prepares horses for the Arkansas Derby, which has been pushed back to May 2, filling the spot left by the Kentucky Derby's departure from its traditional placement on the first Saturday in May. The Oaklawn Stakes does not award Derby points.

With just one running of the Oaklawn Stakes, ascertaining historical trends from the race is a fruitless exercise. But in looking at Oaklawn stakes races dating to 2010, key statistics emerge.

California-based trainer Bob Baffert has been potent with his stakes starters at Oaklawn, compiling a 21-10-4 record with 46 horses over the time period (45%). 

Of those 21 victories, 16 came in graded stakes, mostly with 3-year-old males, including victories in the Arkansas Derby with Bodemeister  (2012) and eventual Triple Crown winner American Pharoah  (2015).

He has already struck at Oaklawn this year, capturing the Rebel Stakes (G2) with Nadal, a colt he is targeting for the Arkansas Derby.

Nadal is one of three sophomore colts who have won graded stakes for him this year, the others being Authentic and Thousand Words, his representative in the Oaklawn Stakes. The latter, a son of Pioneerof the Nile owned by Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm, won the Feb. 1 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) after capturing the Dec. 7 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). He was fourth last out in the March 7 San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

Although Asmussen's winning percentage at Oaklawn in stakes since 2010 is not nearly as high (42 for 281, or 14%), he has trained three Arkansas Derby winners: Private Emblem (2002), eventual two-time Horse of the Year Curlin  (2007), and Creator (2016), who went on to win the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). He runs three in the Oaklawn Stakes: stakes winners Basin, Shoplifted, and Gold Street. 

No one has won more Arkansas Derbys than Todd Pletcher, who runs Farmington Road in the Oaklawn Stakes. Pletcher is a five-time Arkansas Derby winner, taking it with Graeme Hall (2000), Balto Star (2001), Overanalyze (2013), Danza  (2014), and Magnum Moon (2018).

Pletcher is 14-5-3 with 45 stakes starters (31%) at Oaklawn since 2010.