Mary Rampellini's top 3-year-olds at Oaklawn Park on March 23

Champion AMERICAN PHAROAH continues to lead the local 3-year-old division off his 6 1/4-length win in the Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel Stakes this month. He invaded from Southern California and could return for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 11.

Top 3-year-old males

1. AMERICAN PHAROAH
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: Pioneerof the Nile
Last Race: 1st in Rebel on March 14 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 100/101
Target Race: Possible for Arkansas Derby on April 11 at Oaklawn
Comment: American Pharoah is among the early favorites for the Kentucky Derby as last year’s champion 2-year-old male and an authoritative winner of the Rebel in his first start since September. American Pharoah was shipping outside of Southern California for the first time and was racing over a wet track for the first time, and the surface was a laboring one in the Rebel.

2. FAR RIGHT
Trainer: Ron Moquett
Pedigree: Notional – Zindi, by Vindication
Last Race: 1st in Southwest on Feb. 22 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 91/91
Target Race: Arkansas Derby on April 11 at Oaklawn
Comment: He had his latest breeze March 19, working five furlongs in 1:00.80 in company. Far Right, under Greta Kuntzweiler, broke off behind his workmate, breezing about five lengths off that one before closing the gap some on the turn. In the stretch, Far Right moved to his company and edged his mate on the wire. Oaklawn clockers had his final quarter-mile in 24.40 seconds and had him galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.80.

:: TOP 3-YEAR-OLDS: Aqueduct | Fair Grounds | Gulfstream

3. MR. Z
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Pedigree: Malibu Moon – Stormy Bear, by Storm Cat
Last Race: 3rd in Southwest on Feb. 22 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 90/91
Target Race: Louisiana Derby, March 28, Fair Grounds
Comment: He has been working without blinkers since the Southwest after breezing in the equipment earlier in the meet at Oaklawn. In his most recent drill March 16, he went in company and finished about a half-length in front of his mate while going five furlongs on a track rated “good” in 1:02. He has been prepping for the Louisiana Derby.

4. BOLD CONQUEST
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Pedigree: Curlin – One for Jim, Distorted Humor
Last Race: 3rd in Rebel on March 14 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 85/85
Target Race: Arkansas Derby, April 11, Oaklawn
Comment: Asmussen was pleased with a Monday work at Oaklawn, where Bold Conquest breezed five furlongs in 1:01.60. Oaklawn head clocker Jim Hamilton had the horse’s final quarter in 23.40 seconds and had him galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.80. Bold Conquest breezed in the second set on a track rated “muddy” by Hamilton.

5. MADEFROMLUCKY
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Pedigree: Lookin At Lucky – Home From Oz, Pulpit
Last Race: 2nd in Rebel on March 14 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 89/89
Target Race: Possible for Arkansas Derby, April 11, Oaklawn
Comment: He made his stakes debut in the Rebel and ran a commendable second while hooking a champion, shipping in from south Florida, and racing over a wet track for the first time. He’s also appealing because he has been the 1 1/8-mile distance of the Arkansas Derby, winning at the trip in a Gulfstream allowance one start prior to the Rebel.

Honorable Mention: I Spent It, The Truth Or Else, Magic of Believing, Private Prospect, Hillbilly Royalty, Majestico, Conquest Curlinate, Poseidon’s Way, Instant Replay

:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays

Top 3-year-old fillies

1. TAKE CHARGE BRANDI
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Pedigree: Giant’s Causeway – Charming, Seeking the Gold
Last Race: 1st in Martha Washington on Jan. 31 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 77/87
Target Race: Sidelined
Comment: She is scheduled to resume training May 15, according to her trainer. Take Charge Brandi is on stall rest after being diagnosed with a non-displaced bone chip in her right knee five days before a planned start in the Rebel. She has since had a pin placed in the knee to accelerate the healing process, said Lukas, and she is rehabbing at Oaklawn.

2. SARAH SIS
Trainer: Ingrid Mason
Pedigree: Sharp Humor – Emerald Gal, Gilded Time
Last Race: 1st in Hooneybee on March 7 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 80/82
Target Race: Fantasy on April 4 at Oaklawn
Comment: She earned a well-deserved first stakes win in the Grade 3 Honeybee after being edged in recent stakes by champion Take Charge Brandi and the undefeated Promise Me Silver. Sarah Sis won at two turns for the first time in the Honeybee. She’s an athletic filly who is light on her feet and has transitioned well from sprinting to routing.

3. PANGBURN
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Pedigree: Congrats – It’s True Love, Yes It’s True
Last Race: 3rd in Honeybee on March 7 at Oaklawn
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 78/78
Target Race: Ashland on April 4 at Keeneland or Fantasy on April 4 at Oaklawn
Comment: Grade 2-placed at Churchill, she had a less-than-ideal trip in the Grade 3 Honeybee when third in her second start since September. She won her comeback race Feb. 20 and was flattered last week when the runner-up, Sweet Opportunity, came back to win an allowance route at Oaklawn. Pangburn breezed in 1:02.20 at Oaklawn on Monday on track rated “muddy” by head clocker Jim Hamilton.

Honorable Mention: Promise Me Silver, Oceanwave, Indian Annie, Treasure Box, Purr, Super Saks, Bootsy’s Girl, Desert Valley