May 1 Oaklawn Fantasy (race 9) COMMENT: The light has apparently gone on for Swiss Skydiver. She looked like a new filly when leading all the way to romp in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks March 28 and confirmed that form surge here by taking down seemingly the top-ranked filly in the land, Venetian Harbor. Swiss Skydiver chased the pacesetting favorite Venetian Harbor from the start, was content to sit just behind and outside that rival down the backstretch, moved up nicely into the far turn to get closer, launched a full-out challenge into the lane outside Venetian Harbor, got the better of that foe inside the sixteenth pole and edged clear. The Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Sept. 4 is her long-term goal, but with options up in the air with so many tracks having to reschedule stakes due to coronavirus closures trainer Ken McPeek said he might take a look at the Group 1 1,000 Guineas on turf in England, tentatively scheduled for June 6. Venetian Harbor, heavily favored off two monstrous wins out West, did the expected in terms of tactics. From her inside slot she went right to the lead, took a clear lead into the backstretch from Swiss Skydiver to her outsider while setting a strong pace, maintained a clear lead down the backstretch with that rival still off her hip, still appeared in control turning for home while staying on the fence on the fence as Swiss Skydiver moved closer, was confronted by that rival to her outside into the lane, was locked in battle with that rival to the sixteenth pole but was then unable to keep pace to the line. This was strictly a two-horse race in the lane as they finished miles ahead of the others. It was a fine try by Venetian Harbor, though it does make you wonder if this is as far as she wants to go. Could it be she’s this year’s version of Bellafina? Shedaresthedevil, game winner of the Grade 3 Honeybee here March 7, broke inwardly into rival Kansas Kis, established herself midpack a few lanes off the rail, moved toward the inside going into the far turn to start her run, moved back out some on the turn to continue her bid, moved back toward the inside in the lane and kept to her task to get third, though she was never a danger to the top two. Alta’s Award, second in the Gulfstream Park Oaks and mired with the worst of the draw here (post No. 14), was midpack early while shoved out wide into the first turn, remained wide throughout, made a mild move into the lane, had to steady when Lazy Daisy came out some in midstretch, got back into stride but then moved inward to put Lazy Daisy in tight and ran on decently for fourth. She had to survive a claim of foul by the rider of Lazy Daisy for the bumping in the stretch but the stewards let the order of finish stand. Lake Avenue, third to Swiss Skydiver in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, seemed in a good spot stalking in fourth, moved closer going to the far turn while wide and in the clear but did not produce the needed run to get involved thereafter. She just hasn’t run back to that fine Grade 2 Demoiselle win at Aqueduct last fall. British Idiom, the reigning 2-year-old filly champ, was a bit slow into stride to be well back early, remained well back while wide on the first turn, started to advance down the backstretch, was urged to get more involved on the far turn, did close the gap some but died on her run. Surely the sluggish start and race shape didn’t help, but you wonder now if she simply hasn’t progressed from 2 to 3. Harvey’s Lil Goil, well backed after two big wins at Aqueduct but inactive for three months, was a bit slow out of the gate to be well back from the start, had to check and steady hard on the first turn to lose position, remained there between horses, tried to advance with British Idiom to her outside down the backstretch, made a bit of headway to the far turn but came up empty thereafter. May 2 Oaklawn Arkansas Derby - first division (race 11) COMMENT: The pace picture changed when Shooters Shoot, who appeared to be the only speed capable of going with heavy favorite Charlatan, scratched (fever). Charlatan already appeared to be holding all the aces coming off two monstrous wins at Santa Anita so that tactical edge was huge. The $700,000 son of champion sprinter Speightstown was, however, trying some new things: shipping for the first time, dealing with new surroundings, facing tougher and a new, longer distance. None of that mattered. With Shooters Shoot not there to trouble him early Charlatan broke smartly from the rail, shot out to a clear early lead, held a clear advantage while setting a very fast pace (:46.08, 1:09.68) as Basin chased in second, opened up turning for home, got some left-handed whip encouragement in the lane and drew off to win in a romp. The schedule for 3-year-olds remains up in the air around the country, so where he shows up next is uncertain. Santa Anita has tentatively scheduled the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby for June 6, though trainer Bob Baffert seems to have yet another unbeaten 3-year-old (Authentic) penciled in for that. Basin didn’t win but the colt, who won last summer’s Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga, may have run the best race of his career. Coming off a modest fourth in the Oaklawn Stakes here April 11 he broke sharply from his far outside post, was urged early to get position chasing Charlatan while a couple lanes off the fence, was urged to go after that foe on the far turn, was no match for the winner but kept to his task gamely to hold second. Gouverneur Morris, fourth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, broke decently, sat a couple lengths behind Basin with Anneau d’Or to his outside, didn’t appear to be going anywhere into the far turn while racing inside as Anneau d’Or moved ahead of him to his outside, swerved off the rail into the lane to get to the outside going past a tiring Anneau d’Or, was not able to threaten the winner but kept on decently to finish just behind Basin while outside that rival. He’s got talent but the top level of 3-year-olds may be a tad beyond him, at least at this stage of the game. Anneau d’Or, second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in the fall but a dull ninth in a division of the Grade 2 Risen Star at the Fair Grounds Feb. 15, his only start this year, was a bit slow into stride from his outside post, moved up to get a stalking position on the clubhouse turn while wide, remained there outside Gouverneur Morris, made a wide run on the far turn getting ahead of Gouverneur Morris while getting to Basin’s hip to his inside, was asked for more into the lane while staying wide but flattened out and couldn’t stay with Gouverneur Morris for third. Oaklawn Oaklawn Handicap (race 12) COMMENT: Improbable, who would have been among the favorites but was stuck with the outside post (No. 14), scratched. By My Standards could have been one of those who got eaten up by the Kentucky Derby as he ran poorly in that race last year. However, he got the rest of the year off and instead of being a victim of the Derby trail he’s come back even better, notching his third win in as many start this year. Coming off two romping wins at the Fair Grounds including taking the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic last time out March 21, the son of Goldencents broke alertly from his outside slot, showed good speed to dog early pacesetter Warrior’s Charge, continued to hound that rival to the far turn, moved up outside that rival to challenge for the lead into the lane, battled with that foe and got the better of him late, edging clear in the final half-furlong. His final time was faster than Charlatan’s (1:47.80/1:48.49) but the 6-furlong fraction here was much slower than Charlatan’s (1:10.67/1:09.68). Warrior’s Charge ran splendidly in defeat. Coming off a game wire-to-wire win in the Grade 3 Razorback here Feb. 17 he was urged out of the gate to make the lead, accomplished that, got to the rail where he set a solid pace under pressure from the eventual winner, battled back gamely when challenged by that rival into the lane and only succumbed late. Mr Freeze, powerful winner of the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile and moved to this after his engagement in Dubai was canceled, showed the speed to stalk the pace, switched toward the outside down the backstretch as he continued to stalk, moved up nicely on the far turn while widest of the leaders, put in a challenge into the lane outside the top two but couldn’t quite finish with them. He’s certainly be effective going this far but at this level a slightly shorter trip may play better for him. Tacitus, a decent fifth in the Saudi Cup and then pointed for this after the Grade 1 Dubai World Cup was canceled, broke a bit slowly, was jostled a bit on the clubhouse turn between a couple rivals, though it wasn’t anything severe, settled toward the back going down the backstretch, started to make up ground on the far turn, pitched wide and kept on decently to pass a few, though he was never really a threat to the top three. Not that he would have beaten By My Standards, but with the fractions here not as strong as what Charlatan did in the first division of the Arkansas Derby it was going to be difficult for him and the other closers to try and make up ground. Tax, making his first start since finishing ninth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Jan. 25, broke well, got a nice position stalking while out wide, moved closer into the far turn, loomed a three-wide threat turning for home but flattened out in the lane. Combatant, game winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap March 7, got jostled some between horses on the first turn as he brushed with Tacitus to his outside, ended up well back between horses, made some headway on the far turn while still between horses, pitched out into the lane in Tacitus’s wake but was unable to make a dent. Trophy Chaser, smart winner of his first two starts of the year including the Grade 3 Challenger at Tampa Bay March 7, got crowded soon after the start while inside, remained inside stalking in fourth down the backstretch, was still in the hunt turning for home before giving way readily. Oaklawn Arkansas Derby – second division (race 13) COMMENT: On paper this seemed the deeper of the two Arkansas Derby divisions. In the first division trainer Bob Baffert prevailed with an unbeaten horse and did so again here as Nadal, coming off a game win in the Grade 2 Rebel here March 14, made it four straight and again showed grit. He got outrun from the break by Wells Bayou on the far outside but was able to get outside that rival into the first turn to apply pressure. He continued to dog that rival to the far turn, started to get the better of him turning for home, looked possibly in trouble as King Guillermo made a run to his outside, but he kept on gamely and actually drew away again in the final half-furlong. His final time was a bit faster than Charlatan’s (1:48.34/1:48.49) though his early fractions weren’t quite as fast as Charlatan’s. Maybe best of all is this proves Nadal is no need-the-lead type. With stakes schedules around the country in a state of flux it’s uncertain where he might appear next. Santa Anita has tentatively scheduled the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby for June 6, though Baffert appears to already have yet another unbeaten 3-year-old (Authentic) penciled in for that. King Guillermo ran well in defeat. The Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby winner broke well, showed speed to sit just in behind Wells Bayou and Nadal while saving ground, remained there to the far turn, pitched out into the lane, loomed a big threat outside Nadal in midstretch but then couldn’t keep pace with that rival thereafter. Still, it was a good run and validates his Tampa performance. Finnick the Fierce, a longshot, sat not far off the pace, just behind King Guillermo, moved closer on the far turn, came out into the lane and finished decently for third. Farmington Road, a strong rallying second in the Oaklawn Stakes here April 11, was well back from the start, steadily advanced down the backstretch, moved wider out on the far turn for clear sailing and ran on decently, though he was never really a threat to the winner. Wells Bayou, front-running winner of the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, popped the gate from his far outside post to shoot right out to the lead, was able to get to the rail by the first run, set a solid pace under pressure from Nadal to his outside, battled back when hooked by that foe on the far turn but gave way once headed. Storm the Court, the reigning 2-year-old male champ due to his win in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and coming into this off a non-threatening third to Authentic in the Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita March 7, stalked the pace while just outside King Guillermo and just in behind Nadal, was urged to get closer going to the far turn, did so briefly but then fell away. Certainly the form of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with him, Anneau d’Or, Wrecking Crew, Scabbard, Eight Rings and Dennis’s Moment has hardly been flattered. Silver Prospector, winner of the Grade 3 Southwest here Feb. 17 but then a fading sixth in the Rebel here March 14, lagged back early while wide, moved toward the inside going to the far turn, moved to the rail turning for home and into the lane but was never a factor. Unlike the Rebel you can’t blame this on slop making you wonder if he’s not as good as he was a few months ago.