HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – First Division, who will vie for favoritism in Thursday’s featured seventh race at Oaklawn Park, possesses one of the best qualities to be found in a racehorse. “He’s a fighter,” said trainer Kenny McPeek. Thursday’s race is a second-level allowance for 4-year-olds and up over 1 1/16 miles. Gun Runner Charlie will vie for favoritism with First Division in the field of seven. Attention will also be on American Promise, the winner of last year’s Virginia Derby who is making his first start since the Preakness. First post for the eight-race card is 12:45 p.m. Central. There is an $11,649 pick six carryover. First Division showed a lot of fight in his last start, when second by a head in a nonwinners-of-three-lifetime allowance Feb. 28 at Oaklawn. He settled off the pace, had to wait for racing room to advance coming into the stretch, and exchanged bumps in the lane with eventual winner Super Cruise. First Division was situated to Super Cruise’s inside, and with his ears laid flat back dueled through the stretch in a race that ended up being decided in a photo finish. The Beyer Speed Figure of 95 that First Division earned is this field’s co-highest last-race Beyer. :: Live racing action at Oaklawn Park! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. “That’s a great spot for First Division,” McPeek said. “He’s been running in those listed stakes. He’s knocked on the door in stakes after stakes.” First Division was third in last year’s Bathhouse Row at Oaklawn and this meet has run second by a half-length in The Coach and third by a half-length in the General MacArthur. The latter efforts came just prior to his most recent out. First Division will be picking up more ground off a mile start last out at Oaklawn. Earlier in the meet, he won a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles. First Division defeated a field that included Super Cruise. “The mile to a mile and an eighth, anywhere in between, is suitable for him,” said McPeek, who has given the mount to Manny Esquivel. McPeek said a win from First Division on Thursday would put him under consideration for the $200,000 Lake Ouachita Stakes here on May 2. First Division is a son of Omaha Beach who races for Deann Baer, Brett Logan, and Bill Baxter. The Indiana-bred is a half-brother to Corningstone, a multiple stakes winner who was retired to the breeding shed this season. She earned $979,978 while trained by McPeek. First Division could get a stalking trip behind a few rivals, including Gun Runner Charlie, who was second over a good track at this level last time going 1 1/8 miles. Gun Runner Charlie won on a fast track in his prior start, a first-level allowance going a mile at Oaklawn. Ramon Vazquez has the mount for Les Blake and trainer Peter Miller. American Promise was a maiden winner at this distance here last season when in the care of trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who eventually saddled the horse to a 17th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. With the passing of Lukas, American Promise will be making his first start for trainer Steve Asmussen. He has been working sharply at Fair Grounds. Keith Asmussen has the mount from post 4 for BC Stables. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.