Farmington Road, Taishan on Course for Arkansas Derby

Farmington Road and Taishan, second and third, respectively, in the April 11 Oaklawn Stakes, are aimed toward the $750,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) May 2 at Oaklawn Park, their trainers said.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said in a text message April 16 to Oaklawn publicity that Farmington Road came out of the race in good shape and has remained at Oaklawn after stabling in South Florida at Palm Beach Downs.

The late-running son of Quality Road  who added blinkers closed from far back to finish a half-length behind victorious Mr. Big News in the 1 1/8-mile race. Farmington Road was running for the first time since a fourth-place finish in a division of the Feb. 15 Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. 

Farmington Road finished 3 1/4 lengths ahead of third-place Taishan in the 13-horse Oaklawn Stakes field. Taishan raced about five lengths off a sizzling early pace —:45.47 for a half-mile on a sloppy (sealed) surface—and took the lead turning for home before being overhauled by the late-running Mr. Big News and Farmington Road. All three horses earned guaranteed berths in the Arkansas Derby by virtue of their on-the-board finishes.

Taishan was making his first start since a sharp first-level allowance victory on the March 14 Rebel Stakes (G2) undercard. Taishan came out of the Oaklawn Stakes in good shape, trainer Richard Baltas said April 15, and has already resumed training.

"I don't see why we shouldn't take a shot," Baltas said. "I think the horse is doing well. I got his sheet number. It was actually like his best number ever. On the Thoro-Graphs, it was a 4. He has been running 5s.

"I thought he ran well. It was a very hot pace, he was parked wide, he made a little premature move, I think. He was actually one of the few horses that actually didn't … the other horses came from way far back. They were flying. Obviously, we were hoping at the top of the lane that he would keep going. In hindsight, to look at the chart, it looked like he ran a pretty good race."

Taishan is among eight horses on the grounds for Baltas, who is based in Southern California. His Oaklawn division is overseen by assistant Aimee Dollase. 

Mr. Big News, a 46-1 winner under Gabriel Saez, came out of the race in good order, trainer Bret Calhoun said in a text message Thursday morning, but Calhoun added he's "not sure about the Arkansas Derby yet." Calhoun earlier expressed reservations about the quick turnaround while acknowledging his colt is still in need of qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Mr. Big News was racing for the first time since finishing fifth in the other division of the Risen Star Stakes. He returned Sunday to his Fair Grounds base. 

Oaklawn flipped the dates of the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby and the Oaklawn Stakes in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The Arkansas Derby will offer 170 points (100-40-20-10) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), which was postponed from May 2 to Sept. 5.

There is speculation by some horsemen that the Arkansas Derby could be split into two divisions if a large field is entered. 

A message left for Oaklawn Park vice president of racing Jed Doro seeking comment on the Arkansas Derby was not returned.