Arkansas Derby 'Meant to Be' for Asmussen Family

Fast runners and horsemanship have been responsible for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen's near-annual participation in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) this century.

Something else has played a role in him returning to the Derby this year: fate. His intended Derby entry this year with Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Super Stock  almost appears destined, even when at earlier times things didn't seem to be going the colt's way.

The 3-year-old son of Dialed In  , purchased by his father, Keith, and longtime racing partner Erv Woolsey for $70,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment, was entered a year ago in the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. But when COVID-19 canceled that sale, Asmussen's father and Woolsey chose to race instead. 

So Steve began training him, and the family connection to Super Stock grew further when Steve's son, also named Keith, rode the colt while the young man spent a summer in the saddle while on college break. He piloted Super Stock to victory in the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity last summer at Lone Star Park.

Speaking to Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association publicist Jennie Rees at Churchill Downs April 14, Asmussen described the events that resulted in the colt joining his barn and his son riding Super Stock to a stakes victory. He smiled as he recalled last year when his son "got the wild idea of wanting to ride some races."

"He worked Super Stock at Lone Star and called his grandfather and asked if he could ride," the trainer recalled.

King: Keith Asmussen Follows Family's Riding Tradition

Little did the Asmussen family know the fun was just beginning.

"If not for that, the horse probably would have been subscribed to another sale and something you root for as another graduate of El Primero," Asmussen said, referring to the Laredo, Texas, training center headed by his father and mother, Marilyn.

Steve said of last year's turn of events, which later included a fall setback for the colt: "When you think you're unlucky to sit still, you're actually being lucky."

He recalled how Super Stock worked promisingly last fall in company with graded stakes-winning older horse Silver Prospector , less than two weeks before an intended start in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs, only to miss the race.

"Two sets later he was running loose through the barn area, injured himself, and that's what he got time off for," Asmussen said. "And then you're furious at that, how thinking you're unfortunate, but truth be known, if he'd won the Kentucky Jockey Club, he'd probably gotten sold off of that."

Recovered and with a comeback fourth in the Rebel Stakes (G2) under his belt, Super Stock's payoff came April 10 in the $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, a race the Asmussen family and Woolsey attended.

"It might be the best day in the world," Woolsey told Caton Bredar on TVG.

Marilyn said on TVG that she could never have imagined winning the Arkansas Derby and gushed with pride in her son, who notched his fifth victory in the race.

"To be in the winner's circle at Oaklawn Park on a million-dollar Derby? It doesn't get any better than that," she said. "And to see your son successful at what he's chosen to do in life? There's no bigger reward for a parent than that."

Indicative of the depth and talent within his stable, Super Stock is one of two Derby starters for Asmussen, the other being Lecomte Stakes (G3) winner Midnight Bourbon , a Tiznow  colt owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds. Mike Smith will ride the latter, a last-out second in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), while Ricardo Santana Jr. retains the mount on Super Stock.

Provided they both start, this will be the sixth time Asmussen has run a multiple-horse entry in the Derby. He last did so in 2017, when he ran Lookin At Lee  , Hence , and Untrapped . Hence and Untrapped finished in the rear of the pack, while Lookin At Lee stormed from behind under a ground-saving trip under Corey Lanerie to finish second.

Asmussen is 0-for-21 in the Derby—no trainer has run more horses in the race without winning it—but he has threatened in it. Besides Lookin At Lee, Nehro  ran second for the trainer in 2011. Curlin   (2007) and Gun Runner   (2016) were third in the Derby for him.

The trainer has wins in the two other Triple Crown legs. He captured the Preakness Stakes (G1) with Curlin   in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra  in 2009 and took the Belmont Stakes (G1) in 2016 with Creator .

Discussing how a favorable trip fell in line for Super Stock in the Arkansas Derby, Asmussen can now hope the stars are aligned on the first Saturday in May.

"A lot of times in horse racing, you don't get the results that you want, and you come to terms with the fact that it wasn't meant to be. That was just the reason—it wasn't meant to be," Asmussen said. "That Arkansas Derby is a perfect example of it was obviously meant to be."