Arkansas Derby: Tapiture's foes more desperate for points
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tapiture has established himself as the top 3-year-old at Oaklawn Park, but when he runs Saturday in the meet’s richest offering, the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby, he will have to stave off a number of points-hungry newcomers. Bayern, Commissioner, Conquest Titan, and Danza have shipped to town to chase the race’s 170 Kentucky Derby preference points, to be divided on a scale of 100-40-20-10.
Tapiture already has won a pair of points preps, the Kentucky Jockey Club last November and this meet’s Southwest, in which he defeated Arkansas Derby starters Strong Mandate and Ride On Curlin. By virtue of those victories, as well as his runner-up finish in last month’s Rebel, Tapiture has banked 42 points and sits 13th on the list for the Kentucky Derby.
In the Arkansas Derby, which closes out the Oaklawn meet, Tapiture is expected to face seven others. Knock Em Flat, cross-entered in the $100,000 Northern Spur, is being pointed to that race, trainer Donnie Von Hemel said Thursday, and will scratch from the Arkansas Derby. The Saturday card, which starts at noon Central, also features champion Will Take Charge in the Grade 2, $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap.
Tapiture could go favored in the Arkansas Derby on the strength of his Rebel performance. He was bumped on both sides in the stretch but kept progressing to finish a half-length behind Hoppertunity.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
“It was a very tough race, hard on him, but I think the important thing was he came out of it in good physical condition,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Tapiture for Winchell Thoroughbreds. “That was the huge concern after watching such a roughly run race.”
Tapiture, like all of his rivals except Commissioner, will be making his first start at 1 1/8 miles.
“We’re set up for it,” Asmussen said. “His two-turn races are solid, and I think if he just settles more, it will help him go further.”
Asmussen said Tapiture was more relaxed in his major work for the Arkansas Derby than he was in his main work for the Rebel. Joel Rosario has the mount Saturday.
Bayern, who won a maiden special weight sprint over Hoppertunity, is undefeated in two starts for Kaleem Shah and trainer Bob Baffert. His other score came by 15 lengths in a first-level allowance at a mile at Santa Anita. Gary Stevens was aboard and has the mount again.
“I think Bayern’s a very good horse that has a lot of quality to him,” Baffert said. “It’s a good test. He’s worked well. He’s run well. He looks the part right now. It’s a big step up against quality horses, but Gary Stevens is really high on him. He has to prove it.”
Commissioner, a two-time winner at the distance, was third last out in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby. In that race, he lost a front shoe, said trainer Todd Pletcher.
“He didn’t get away very clean in the beginning – the second jump away he stumbled – and we assumed that’s when he pulled his shoe off,” Pletcher said. “He went into the first turn last, and that’s not where we wanted to be position-wise. I thought considering all that, he showed interest late, came closing.
“He came out of the race really well, and we’re looking for some more points. We’ve always felt he’s a classic-type son of A.P. Indy who wants to run a mile and a quarter, and we’d love to have enough points to get in and get that opportunity.”
Hopeful Stakes winner Strong Mandate was fourth in the Rebel.
“He had his head in front there at the top of the stretch,” said trainer D. Wayne Lukas. “I was a little disappointed he didn’t kick a little stronger. But when he got roughed up a little bit, that gave him a reason, if he is tired, to back up a little bit. I look for a stronger effort.”
Conquest Titan was fourth in the Tampa Bay Derby, a race in which he was favored after running second to Cairo Prince in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream.
“Nothing went right in the Tampa Bay Derby, and some of it was probably my fault,” said trainer Mark Casse. “He’d shown such a fondness to come from way out of it, and we employed a little different strategy in that race, and it didn’t work so well. We’re going to go with what got us there, and that’s with him coming from the clouds.”
Forecasts call for highs in the 70s on Saturday. Oaklawn plans to open the infield in anticipation of a crowd of more than 50,000.