HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Mac Robertson has rolled out a number of impressive 3-year-old winners this meet, with the latest Skol Factor on the Oaklawn Stakes undercard April 11.

Skol Factor won a maiden special weight over six furlongs in 1:09.76. He led throughout for a 6 1/2-length win and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 82.

“He’s a fast horse,” Robertson said Tuesday. “He did it easy the other day.”

Robertson said if Skol Factor were to run back this meet it would be during the last couple of days. The season closes May 2.

Del Mar officials are making plans to accommodate a full stable area from early July to early September this summer, but are unsure whether its popular race meeting will be held in front of spectators.

In an interview Wednesday, chief executive officer Joe Harper said there are three leading scenarios – a race meeting from July 18-Sept. 7 with spectators, a meeting without spectators, or a canceled race meeting because of the coronavirus outbreak.

WHO’S HOT

Mr. Big News, who won the Oaklawn Stakes on Saturday, and Shooters Shoot, who captured an allowance race earlier on that card, are the two newcomers to the Derby Watch top 20. Both are 50-1 shots on the future line set by Marty McGee of Daily Racing Form for the Kentucky Derby, now scheduled for Sept. 5. Tiz the Law remains McGee’s favorite, at 3-1. McGee tweaked a couple of prices since the list was last updated. Charlatan remains his fourth choice, but he’s down to 6-1 after being 10-1 two weeks ago.

After several days of rain that forced postponement of workouts, three California-based runners with designs on the Arkansas Derby all got in significant drills Wednesday morning at Santa Anita.

Charlatan went six furlongs in 1:12.20, while five-furlong works were recorded by Nadal (59.80 seconds) and champion Storm the Court (1:00.60). All three are pointing to the Grade 1, $750,000 Arkansas Derby on May 2 at Oaklawn Park, a race that offers 170 points overall, with 100 to the winner, for the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5.

Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., will swap its Saturday dates in May for Wednesdays, according to a text issued by the racing office Wednesday.

The track is one of the few in North America conducting live racing at this time due to the coronavirus pandemic. Will Rogers is currently racing Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.

During the course of the current meet, it set a single-day record for handle in Oklahoma.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tampa Bay Derby winner and Arkansas Derby-bound King Guillermo isn’t the only “big horse” in trainer Juan Avila’s arsenal.

King Guillermo must share some of the glory in the Avila stable with the older, graded stakes winner Trophy Chaser and the up-and-coming 3-year-old filly prospect Boerne.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Paco Lopez will be sidelined four to six weeks due to a broken thumb suffered in a riding mishap Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Lopez was thrown from his mount, Fluent in Sarcasm, shortly after the start of Saturday’s ninth race on the turf. Lopez returned to the jockey quarters under his own power, complaining of a swollen thumb. Originally, X-rays of the injury proved negative, although upon further examination Lopez was diagnosed Monday with a fracture on the base of his thumb.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tom’s d’Etat emerged from his Saturday win in the $150,000 Oaklawn Mile in good order, trainer Al Stall Jr. said Monday.

“He seems fine,” Stall said. “He survived the race and the storm.”

The area was hit with heavy rains, high winds, and lightning on Easter Sunday.

Tom’s d’Etat will likely make his next start at Churchill, Stall said. Churchill has delayed the opening of its stable area because of the coronavirus pandemic.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Bret Calhoun has some horses pointing to stakes at Oaklawn Park, but whether they will include Mr. Big News is yet to be determined. The 3-year-old Mr. Big News, who won the $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes on Saturday, is back home at Fair Grounds.

Whiskey Sunrise turned in a sparkling performance in the first of three strong maiden special weight races at Gulfstream on Easter Sunday. Whiskey Sunrise withstood a torrid pace before drawing off to an easy 4 ¼-length victory in the six-furlong dash for 3-year-old Florida-breds.

A Shadybrook Farm homebred trained by Michael Yates, Whiskey Sunrise had been idle since finishing second in his debut last April here. Whiskey Sunrise is a full brother to 2018 Dr. Fager Stakes winner Cajun Firecracker.