One Liner out of Arkansas Derby, will get freshening

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby lost a major player in One Liner on Monday, while travel plans were set for another top contender in champion Classic Empire. The race, which carries 170 Kentucky Derby eligibility points, will be run Saturday.

One Liner, the undefeated winner of the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes, will not start in the Arkansas Derby and is off the Kentucky Derby trail, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Pletcher said he wasn’t satisfied with One Liner’s five-furlong workout last Saturday at Palm Beach Downs in Florida, where he was given a time of 1:01.80. Pletcher said the horse would be shipped to WinStar Farm for a freshening.

“He just hasn’t had the same spark that he had prior to the Southwest,” Pletcher said. “I thought the work prior to this was better, but this work was not the One Liner we’re expecting to see in the mornings. Can’t put our finger on it, but he just hasn’t produced his form since the Southwest.”

One Liner won the Southwest by 3 1/2 lengths on Feb. 20, earning a 102 Beyer Speed Figure. He had won his first two starts, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race at Saratoga last July and a first-level allowance going six furlongs at Gulfstream on Jan. 26.

Classic Empire, the champion 2-year-old male of 2016, is due to arrive in Arkansas on Wednesday, said trainer Mark Casse. Classic Empire has been in training in Florida.

Malagacy, trained by Pletcher, will be coming for the Arkansas Derby on the same flight as Classic Empire.

Casse said Julien Leparoux has the mount on Classic Empire. Javier Castellano will ride Malagacy, according to Pletcher.

Lookin At Lee and Untrapped each put in their final work for the Arkansas Derby on Sunday at Oaklawn. Untrapped, coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, went a half-mile by himself in 51 seconds. Lookin At Lee, third in the Southwest, also went a half in 51. Both are trained by Steve Asmussen.

“Untrapped and Lookin At Lee had nice, smooth half-miles,” Asmussen said Sunday. “I think we’re in very good shape with both of them.”

Asmussen said Luis Contreras has the mount on Lookin At Lee, while Mike Smith will ride Untrapped.

Oaklawn officials are also expecting Conquest Mo Money, Petrov, Rockin Rudy, Silver Dust, and Sonneteer for the Arkansas Derby. Post positions for the 1 1/8-mile race will be drawn Wednesday.

◗ Asmussen said Smith has the mount on Holy Boss in the Grade 3, $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on Saturday at Oaklawn.

– additional reporting by David Grening