Oaklawn Park: Tapiture has final Arkansas Derby tune-up

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Tapiture breezed for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on Monday, going a half-mile in 50.80 seconds in the second set of workers at Oaklawn Park. He is one of the favorites for the mile and an eighth race that closes out the meet Saturday.

The track Monday was rated sloppy, and was sealed. It was a clear but damp morning, and temperatures were in the high 40s.

Tapiture went the first quarter of his maintenance move in 26.40 seconds, while working a few paths off the rail. Oaklawn clockers had his final quarter in 24.40 seconds. The move came under Tapiture’s regular exercise rider, Abel Flores. Joel Rosario has the mount in the Arkansas Derby.

Tapiture races for Winchell Thoroughbreds and trainer Steve Asmussen. He accounted for last fall’s Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, and opened his 3-year-old season with a win in the Southwest at Oaklawn. In his most recent start, Tapiture was second to Hoppertunity in the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel at Oaklawn on March 15.

Tapiture is expected to face at least seven others in the Arkansas Derby: Bayern, Commissioner, Conquest Titan, Danza, Ride On Curlin, Strong Mandate, and Thundergram. Entries are Wednesday.

The Arkansas Derby is one of three final points races for the Kentucky Derby, the others being the Blue Grass, also on Saturday, and the Lexington, on April 19. The Arkansas Derby and Blue Grass will each dole out 170 points to its first four finishers on a scale of 100-40-20-10. The Lexington offers 17 points (10-4-2-1).

The points system comes into play if the Kentucky Derby is oversubscribed. It is administered by Churchill Downs.