Rocket Can, Reincarnate lead field of 11 into Saturday's Arkansas Derby
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark.– Rocket Can and Reincarnate, who have won graded stakes on opposite coasts, will be part of a field of 11 for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
The 1 1/8-mile race was drawn on Sunday in a ceremony that took place in the winner’s circle. Oaklawn also drew the Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy, with Wet Paint leading a field of 10. The Arkansas Derby offers qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby and the Fantasy does the same for the Kentucky Oaks.
Both races will award points to the first five finishers on a scale of 100-40-30-20-10.
Oaklawn was to have drawn the remainder of the races for its Arkansas Derby Day card on Monday, said Pat Pope, the track’s racing secretary. He said there could be a 13-race card. First post will be 12:30 p.m. Central.
Rocket Can won the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park. He will break from post 7 under Junior Alvarado. Reincarnate is the winner of the Grade 3 Sham at Santa Anita. He will break from post 8 under John Velazquez.
The other graded winner in the field is Angel of Empire, who accounted for the Grade 2 Risen Star in February at Fair Grounds. Flavien Prat has the mount from post 6.
Red Route One, the runner-up in both the Grade 3 Southwest and Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn, breezed a half-mile at the track Monday, going in 50.60 seconds. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 10.
The Arkansas Derby is the richest race of the meet and part of the annual Racing Festival of the South that extends from Friday through April 29. There are 13 open-company stakes during that period, for total purses of $6 million. The Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom will be run April 15 and the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap leads a three-stakes card on April 22.
The Arkansas Derby will be showcased on a card of four stakes. In addition to the Fantasy, the program is scheduled to include the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile and $200,000 Hot Springs for 3-year-olds at a mile. The forecast for Saturday is sunny skies and a high of 74 degrees, according to AccuWeather.
The complete field for the Arkansas Derby, from the rail with riders, is Bourbon Bash, Mickaelle Michel; Interlock Empire, David Cabrera; Harlocap, Ricardo Santana, Jr.; Two Eagles River, Nik Juarez; Airtime, Cristian Torres; Angel of Empire, Prat; Rocket Can, Alvarado; Reincarnate, Velazquez; King Russell, Rafael Bejarano; Red Route One, Gaffalione; and Kolomio, James Graham.
The field for the Fantasy, from the rail with riders, is She’s Lookin Lucky, Cristian Torres; Grand Love, Gaffalione; Towhead, Isaac Castillo; Taxed, Bejarano; Take Charge Briana, Reylu Gutierrez; Wet Paint, Prat; Pate, Florent Geroux; Royal Spa, Santana; Olivia Twist, Cabrera; and Condensation, Francisco Arrieta.
◗ Jockey Frankie Dettori is scheduled to ride Teddy’s Barino in the $250,000 Matron on Friday at Oaklawn, said agent Ron Anderson. Dettori is scheduled to be back at Santa Anita on Saturday.
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