Ride On Curlin will break from post 4 in Arkansas Derby
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Ride On Curlin has contested the pace in each of his last two starts, and trainer Billy Gowan hopes to change tactics Saturday, when the horse runs from post 4 in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. Ride On Curlin was part of a nine-horse field drawn Wednesday for the 1 1/8-mile race, with Knock Em Flat, in post 2, also entered in an undercard stakes, the $100,000 Northern Spur.
Tapiture, who drew post 3, was installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite during a ceremonial draw on the first floor of the grandstand. Joel Rosario has the mount on the horse, whose chief rivals include Bayern, the 2-1 second choice, who drew post 8. Oaklawn also pulled pills for the Grade 2, $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap on the same card, with champion Will Take Charge drawing post 2 in a field of seven that includes Moreno, Revolutionary, and Golden Lad.
Ride On Curlin contested the pace in both the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn in January and the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel Stakes in March. He finished third in both races, beaten by a length last out in the Rebel, which Hoppertunity won by a half-length over Tapiture. Ride On Curlin will be ridden Saturday by Jon Court. The No. 4 post sat well with Gowan.
“Hopefully, it lets the speed go out there, and we can lay right off of them,” he said. “Hopefully, he won’t show too much speed too early. The last two times, he’s been head-and-head on the lead, and I’ve wanted him to lay off of the pace. He ran his best race off the pace in New York [when third in the Champagne], so I hope that’s what we’re going to do again.”
Ride On Curlin, who races for Daniel Dougherty, has thrived since the Rebel, said Gowan, a former assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg.
“I think if he’s not the same, he’s better,” Gowan said. “He’s real good. He’s really happy right now. He hasn’t missed an oat since his last race. He’s been coming off the track bucking and playing.”
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
The complete field, from the rail with riders, is: Danza (Joe Bravo), Knock Em Flat (Luis Quinonez), Tapiture (Rosario), Ride On Curlin (Court), Thundergram (Norberto Arroyo Jr.), Commissioner (Mike Smith), Conquest Titan (Calvin Borel), Bayern (Gary Stevens), and Strong Mandate (Luis Saez).
Thundergram will race with blinkers.
The Arkansas Derby will go as the 11th race on a 12-race card, with a post of 6:07 p.m. Central. Forecasts call for sunny skies and highs in the 70s.
The Oaklawn Handicap field, from the rail with riders, is: Revolutionary (Smith), Will Take Charge (Saez), Right to Vote (Ricardo Santana Jr.), Carve (Jesus Castanon), Moreno (Rosario), Golden Lad (Stevens), and Prayer for Relief (Arroyo).