HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Mr. Big News pulled a 46-1 upset Saturday in the $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes for 3-year-olds, running the kind of race trainer Bret Calhoun thought he was poised for last month when the colt did not draw into the Louisiana Derby.

“That was a great race,” Calhoun said shortly after the Oaklawn Stakes on Saturday. 

Mr. Big News, who was a half-length winner over Farmington Road, earned berths into both the Preakness Stakes and Arkansas Derby with his win. It was another 3 1/4 lengths back in third to Taishan.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – There is a lot of opportunity attached to Saturday’s $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes, which drew 13 3-year-olds, including Daily Racing Form Derby Watch members Thousand Words and Basin.

For starters, the Oaklawn Stakes is a chance to race when the coronavirus pandemic has led to the suspension or cancellation of meets throughout North America.

“I think we’re lucky Oaklawn is running at all,” said Steve Asmussen, who sends out Basin, Gold Street, and Shoplifted.

The uncertainty in coming months regarding racing in general, and preps to the Kentucky Derby specifically, has caused a number of trainers to tweak their approaches with their top 3-year-olds in coming weeks. Other factors are at play in their decisions, including rules regarding shipping imposed by the owners of Gulfstream Park, and where horses stand on the current points list.

Thousand Words, who suffered his first career loss when fourth in the San Felipe Stakes on March 7 at Santa Anita, will try to rebound with his first race outside California when he competes in the Oaklawn Stakes on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

Trainer Bob Baffert on Tuesday said he had sent Thousand Words to the Oaklawn Stakes, which flip-flopped dates with the Arkansas Derby, now scheduled for May 2.

Joe Talamo will have the mount, Baffert said.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, once again was favored when Pool 4 of the 2020 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday following the customary three-day betting window.

The field closed at 3-1 and was followed by Charlatan (5-1), Tiz the Law (5-1), Maxfield (9-1), Nadal (9-1), Authentic (10-1), and Honor A. P. (15-1). The lowest $2 exacta will-pay was Tiz the Law over the field (22-24), worth $62.

Charlatan, Honor A. P., and Nadal, three of the nation’s leading 3-year-olds, were given workouts at Santa Anita on Sunday.

With the coronavirus outbreak temporarily disrupting racing at Santa Anita, and at many other venues nationwide, it is unclear where the trio will appear next, although the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on May 2 is a possibility.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - King Guillermo and Attachment Rate, 3-year-olds with possible designs on the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on May 2, topped a very busy work tab Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park. 

Sir Rick, who was entered in last month’s canceled Grade 3, $700,000 Sunland Park Derby, still has a mile and an eighth stakes start on his dance card. It will come in next Saturday’s $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes, according to trainer Robertino Diodoro.

The race will share a card with the $150,000 Oaklawn Mile, which will draw Diodoro trainee Pioneer Spirit.

Sir Rick worked at Oaklawn Park on Friday, going five-eighths in 1:03. The Oaklawn Stakes will be his first start since capturing the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby on Feb. 23 at Sunland Park.

Postponing the Kentucky Derby until Sept. 5 has obviously changed the future plans and schedules of dozens of 3-year-olds stabled around the country.

Take Americanus, for instance.

Originally, trainer Mark Hennig was thinking about running his up-and-coming War Front colt in one of the Kentucky Derby preps, possibly the Grade 1 Florida Derby here last Saturday. But with the Kentucky Derby now five months away, Hennig didn’t feel the need to push Americanus, who won a loaded entry-level allowance race going seven furlongs here Feb. 22.

Honor A. P.

Honor Code–Hollywood Story, by Wild Rush

Bred in Kentucky by George Krikorian ($850,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase by C R K Stable)

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