American Pharoah faces seven in Arkansas Derby

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The champion American Pharoah arrived Wednesday at Oaklawn Park and not long afterward drew post 6 in a field of eight for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby. He was installed as the 1-2 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s race following his dominant win in last month’s Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel Stakes.

The Arkansas Derby will close out the meet. The 1 1/8-mile race will be part of a program that includes four stakes, among the others the Grade 2, $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap headed by Golden Lad, Tapiture, and Race Day.

American Pharoah has flown in from Southern California, just as he did a month ago when he started his 3-year-old season with a 6 1/4-length win in the Rebel. Bob Baffert, who trains the champion for Zayat Stables, said American Pharoah has thrived since his last trip to Oaklawn.

“He’s doing very well,” Baffert said. “That race, he came out of it really well. I think that race really helped him. I expect another big effort out of him.”

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Victor Espinoza has again been named to ride American Pharoah.

Mr. Z, who also races for Zayat Stables, was entered in the Arkansas Derby, but whether he starts in the race is to be determined by owner Ahmed Zayat, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Wednesday. American Pharoah and Mr. Z will not be coupled.

“The draw will determine some of our strategy, obviously,” Lukas said. “The final vote will be Mr. Zayat himself. And I think he’s going to give us that opportunity, but I’m not sure. He has a tremendous amount of respect and investment in American Pharoah. So, do we help him, or do we compromise him? There will be a lot of discussion. But having said that, I would like to have the opportunity to get another 30, 40 points and put his third horse in the [Kentucky] Derby.”

The Arkansas Derby is the final prep offering 100 Kentucky Derby eligibility points to its winner under a preference system administered by Churchill Downs. The first- through fourth-place finishers in the Arkansas Derby will earn points on a sliding scale of 100-40-20-10.

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Lukas has named Ramon Vazquez to ride Mr. Z, who will add blinkers for the Arkansas Derby.

The field from the rail with riders is: The Truth Or Else, Calvin Borel; Mr. Z, Vazquez; Bridget’s Big Luvy, Angel Cruz; Madefromlucky, John Velazquez; Bold Conquest, Ricardo Santana Jr.; American Pharoah, Espinoza; Far Right, Mike Smith; and Win the Space, Kent Desormeaux.

The Truth Or Else will add blinkers, while Win the Space will remove blinkers Saturday.

The Arkansas Derby is scheduled as the 11th race on a 12-race card that starts at 12:30 p.m. Central. The post for the feature is 6:18 p.m. The forecast for Saturday is a high of 73 degrees with a 40 percent chance of showers, according to The Weather Channel. Oaklawn will open its infield for an ontrack crowd expected to exceed 50,000.

The Oaklawn Handicap will go as the seventh race, with a field of 10. It will be followed by the $100,000 Instant Racing for 3-year-old fillies that drew the undefeated Promise Me Silver. The $100,000 Northern Spur for 3-year-olds at a mile goes as the 10th race. It drew eight horses, including Supermason, a 14-length stakes winner last out at Sam Houston for trainer Bret Calhoun.