Coal Battle leads field drawn for Arkansas Derby
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Coal Battle will attempt to win his fourth Kentucky Derby points race on Saturday when he breaks from post 8 in a field of nine for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.
Entries for the 1 1/8-mile race that rewards its first five finishers points on a scale of 100-50-25-15-10 were drawn Sunday. The Arkansas Derby will be showcased on a 14-race card that also includes the Grade 2, $750,000 Fantasy, which offers the same points scale for the Kentucky Oaks.
Coal Battle won his first points race in December in the $300,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park. He then accounted for two preps at Oaklawn, the $250,000 Smarty Jones and the Grade 2, $1.25 million Rebel.
Coal Battle breezed for the Arkansas Derby on Sunday, going three-eighths in 37.40 seconds as he prepares to defend his home turf at Oaklawn.
“I usually blow him out a little three-eighths before the race and he likes that,” Lonnie Briley said. “He takes care of himself.
“A lot of these horses are scattering out, trying to get points. You’re always wondering what monster they’re going to send in after you.”
That would be the Southern California-based Cornucopian, according to Oaklawn linemaker Rick Lee, who has made the debut winner the 7-5 favorite for the Arkansas Derby. Cornucopian won a maiden special weight sprint earlier in the meet at Oaklawn with a Beyer Speed Figure of 101. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has given the mount to John Velazquez.
Juan Vargas will ride Coal Battle, who has been made the 7-2 third choice for the Arkansas Derby. Sandman, who will break from post 6 under Jose Ortiz, has been made the 3-1 second choice Saturday. Speed King, the winner of the Grade 3, $1 million Southwest, is 15-1. Coal Battle and Speed King have accounted for the first three Kentucky Derby preps at Oaklawn, with the final one the Arkansas Derby.
The complete field for the race from the rail with riders and odds: Brereton’s Baytown, Marshall Mendez, 30-1; First Division, Brian Hernandez Jr., 20-1; Publisher, Flavien Prat, 6-1; Bestfriend Rocket, Nik Juarez, 20-1; Speed King, Rafael Bejarano, 15-1; Sandman, Ortiz, 3-1; Monet’s Magic, Luan Machado, 20-1; Coal Battle, Vargas, 7-2; Cornucopian, Velazquez, 7-5.
The field of 10 for the Fantasy, from the rail with riders and morning line odds: Take Charge Milady, Hernandez Jr., 6-1; California Sunset, Florent Geroux, 12-1; Kinzie Queen, Francisco Arrieta, 10-1; Princess Em Too, Velazquez, 15-1; Quietside, Ortiz, 2-1; Necessity, Ricardo Santana Jr., 10-1; Simply Joking, Jaime Torres, 8-5; Baytown Butterfly, Mendez, 30-1; Princess Aliyah, Juarez, 12-1; Runnin N Gunnin, Prat, 20-1.
Other points of interest on the card that features a total of four stakes includes the Grade 3, $500,000 Oaklawn Mile that drew Saudi Crown, The Wine Steward and Banishing. Haulin Ice, who on Friday night will be crowned the 2024 Arkansas-bred of the year at a banquet at Oaklawn, takes on the unbeaten Almostgone Rocket in the $250,000 Matron.
There are two overnight stakes, with the $145,000 American Pharoah drawing Bishops Bay, Magic Tap, Maycocks Bay and Honor Marie. The $145,000 Eclipse drew eight including Just Steel, who is cross-entered in the Oaklawn Mile.
There were 144 horses entered for Saturday, with two runners on also-eligible lists. First post is 11:20 a.m. Central.
The forecast for Saturday is a high of 74 degrees with a 75 percent chance of rain and afternoon thunderstorms, according to AccuWeather.
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