Oaklawn Stakes a proving grounds for many in field of 13

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – There is a lot of opportunity attached to Saturday’s $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes, which drew 13 3-year-olds, including Daily Racing Form Derby Watch members Thousand Words and Basin.

For starters, the Oaklawn Stakes is a chance to race when the coronavirus pandemic has led to the suspension or cancellation of meets throughout North America.

“I think we’re lucky Oaklawn is running at all,” said Steve Asmussen, who sends out Basin, Gold Street, and Shoplifted.

The race is an opportunity for some entrants to gain experience, a chance for others to race on the road, and an opportunity to get a feel for the local surface in advance of the Grade 1, $750,000 Arkansas Derby on May 2.

For starters like Taishan, who comes off a dominant local allowance win for trainer Richard Baltas, and Digital, a promising runner invading for trainer Bret Calhoun, the Oaklawn Stakes is a chance to prove their ability.

“This is kind of to see where he fits in the 3-year-old picture, over a route of ground,” Calhoun said. “We’ll test him and see if he can get the mile and an eighth. It will give us an idea where to go the rest of the year.”

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The Oaklawn Stakes does not carry Kentucky Derby points like the Arkansas Derby, but it will reward its winner with a berth in the yet-to-be-rescheduled Preakness Stakes, according to Pimlico officials. Saturday’s race also will grant its first three finishers a fees-paid berth into the Arkansas Derby, with each berth worth $15,000, according to Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope.

This was to be Arkansas Derby Day and the card still has some of the trappings. The intriguing 12-race program includes the $150,000 Oaklawn Mile and has a special post of 12:35 p.m. Central. There are shippers from both coasts for the Oaklawn Stakes, with Bob Baffert sending out Thousand Words and Todd Pletcher countering with Farmington Road.

Pope has split an allowance and maiden special weight into divisions to make for additional opportunities for 3-year-olds alongside the Oaklawn Stakes.

“The whole idea is to try to do what’s best to prepare horses for the Arkansas Derby,” he said.

The forecast is for a high of 63 degrees and a 60 percent chance of thundershowers late in the day, according to the Weather Channel.

KEY CONTENDERS

Thousand Words, by Pioneerof the Nile

Last 3 Beyers: 80-92-91

◗ The $1 million yearling purchase at Keeneland September in 2018 has won three of four starts, including the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity and the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita. He enters off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 San Felipe on March 7.

“He got a little rank early and he never really relaxed,” Baffert said. “He gave it up turning for home, just galloped in fourth. He’s training well for this one. I think the further the better for him.

“I think he’ll like the distance. He’s a big, long-striding horse.”

◗ Baffert said he plans to reduce the size of the blinker cups Thousand Words has been wearing. That will give the horse more visibility and that can lead to a horse relaxing better in a race.

◗ Joe Talamo has the mount from post 3 for Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm.

Basin, by Liam’s Map

Last 3 Beyers: 84-85-86

◗ Last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful winner at Saratoga, he enters off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Rebel on March 14 at Oaklawn. The Rebel was his first race at two turns and his first since September.

“There’s a lot of things to build on there,” Asmussen said. “He’s a very good horse. The same thing with Shoplifted. They’re both wonderful physicals that train really well. I think with 3-year-olds this time of year you’ve got to keep improving, and I expect both of them to do so.”

◗ Florent Geroux has the mount on Basin from the rail for Jackpot Farm.

Shoplifted, by Into Mischief

Last 3 Beyers: 83-85-85

◗ Shoplifted, the winner of last year’s Springboard Mile at Remington Park, will start from post 6 under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

◗ He comes off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Southwest on Feb. 17 at Oaklawn, and following that start had been entered in the Grade 3, $700,000 Sunland Park Derby. The race was canceled.

“We felt the Sunland race was the ideal spot for him,” Asmussen said. “We’ve had a few adjustments to make to say the least – like everybody.”

Sir Rick, by Paynter

Last 3 Beyers: 80-70-58

◗ He, too, was entered in the Sunland Derby. He comes into the Oaklawn Stakes off a four-length win in the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby on Feb. 23 at Sunland. It was a strong race for the horse, said trainer Robertino Diodoro.

“Sunland is not the easiest place to ship into and he never worked over the track or anything,” Diodoro said. “He got quite a bit out of that race, being hooked and pushed and being able to draw off. It did nothing but good for his heart.”

◗ David Cohen has the mount from post 5.