HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- Archarcharch emerged from his Arkansas Derby win in excellent shape, his trainer, Jinks Fires, said the morning after the race, and on Monday night plans are to ship Archarcharch to Churchill Downs to begin preparations for the Kentucky Derby.

“If they don’t block the road we’ll be there,” said Fires, a trainer for 50 years who at the age 70 will have his first starter in the Kentucky Derby.

“I always wanted to go there with a horse I thought had a shot. And we do think we have a shot.”

Mighty B Valiant overcame trouble after the start, then closed fast for a three-quarter length win over Folley Del Rey in the $780,000 Remington Park Futurity for Quarter Horses on Saturday night. The race was the richest statebred futurity run, after being restricted this year to horses bred in Oklahoma.

A wide trip, sloppy track, and nine accomplished opponents were no obstacles for Duke of Mischief, who made a long, sustained bid under Joe Bravo to win Saturday night's Grade 3, $1 million Charles Town Classic by 2 1/4 lengths.

ALBANY, Calif. – Bet down to favoritism after starting at 6-1 on the morning line, Justenufappeal ($5.40) went from first back to mid-pack before rallying to win the $75,000 Golden Poppy on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields in her turf debut.

Sweet Goodbye may call Maryland her home, but she’s definitely fond of making road trips to West Virginia.

Confirming her affinity for the bullring at Charles Town, the 6-year-old Sweet Goodbye ($4.40) cruised to an easy 6 1/4-length victory over a sloppy track in Saturday night’s $250,000 Sugar Maple Stakes for fillies and mares.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – After turning down more than one seven-figure offer for Archarcharch, the conviction owner Bob Yagos and his wife, Val, showed paid the best kind of dividend Saturday. The horse they kept will be taking them to the Kentucky Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Last weekend, Malibu Pier was briefly without a rider for Saturday’s $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita after jockey Rafael Bejarano committed to rival Turning Top in that race.

Trainer Carla Gaines chose Brice Blanc as a replacement on Malibu Pier. Chances are Blanc will not be climbing off Malibu Pier in the foreseeable future.

Archarcharch rallied from off the pace and held off a late threat from Nehro to win Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Live Oak Plantation of Charlotte Weber lost its major hope for the 137th Kentucky Derby when To Honor and Serve was declared from consideration earlier this month with a suspensory injury. But against the odds, Brilliant Speed gave Live Oak a brand new Derby prospect Saturday when the homebred colt rallied to nip Twinspired in leading a parade of longshots in a stunning 87th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.-  Uncle Brent, who was one of the most impressive maiden winners of the Oaklawn Park meet, became a stakes winner on the final card of the program Saturday, when he darted to a 1 3/4-length win over Albergatti in the $100,000 Northern Spur. 

The Northern Spur was one of two stakes supporting the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby. May Day Rose wired the field in the $100,000 Instant Racing.