Gray Attempt, Improbable Work Toward Arkansas Derby

Sugar Bowl Stakes winner Gray Attempt and Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity (G1) winner Improbable both worked April 5 in preparation for the upcoming Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park.

One of the final two preps on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the April 13 Arkansas Derby offers a total of 170 points to the first four finishers. 

Dwight Pruett's multiple stakes winner Gray Attempt turned in a bullet five-furlong move in :58 3/5 for trainer William Fires at Oaklawn, the fastest of eight at the distance. The breeze was the first for the son of Graydar  since taking the March 23 Gazebo Stakes at the Arkansas oval. The 3-year-old earned 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with his win in the Jan. 25 Smarty Jones Stakes but finished off the board one start later in the Southwest Stakes (G3), both at Oaklawn. 

Breezing six furlongs at Oaklawn for trainer Doug O'Neill Friday was fellow Arkansas Derby hopeful One Flew South, a 3-year-old son of the late Giant's Causeway. The dark bay colt completed the move in 1:13 2/5.

Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, One Flew South broke his maiden on debut Nov. 30 at Turfway Park but just missed the board in his 2019 debut, finishing fifth in the Feb. 24 Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park. 

Working for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert on the West Coast, Improbable went six furlongs Friday morning in 1:14 flat at Santa Anita Park. The move was also the best of eight at the distance. 

Owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and Starlight Racing, Improbable impressed early at 2, following his maiden win with back-to-back victories in the Nov. 2 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs and Dec. 8 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity at Los Alamitos Race Course. The son of City Zip missed by a neck in his 2019 debut to Long Range Toddy in a division of the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn.

Improbable ranks 19th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 25 points.