Oaklawn Barn Notes: Champion Storm the Court Confirmed for Arkansas Derby

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Storm the Court; Benoit Photos

Champion Storm the Court Confirmed for Arkansas Derby

Southern California-based trainer Peter Eurton said Tuesday afternoon that he plans to have two entrants in the $750,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) May 2 at Oaklawn, including juvenile champion Storm the Court.

Storm the Court worked 6 furlongs in 1:13.60 Monday morning at Santa Anita in advance of the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby, which will mark his first start outside California. Storm the Court, at odds of 45-1, secured an Eclipse Award as the country’s champion 2-year-old male with a front-running victory in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

Eurton said he also plans to enter Shooters Shoot, a first-level allowance winner at a mile April 11 at Oaklawn, in the Arkansas Derby.

“Very pleased with his work,” Eutron said of Storm the Court. “Very pleased with Shooters Shoot. I know it’s going to be tough on both ends with Bob’s two horses, but we’re willing and game.”

Eutron was referring to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who is pointing unbeaten Nadal (3 for 3) and unbeaten Charlatan (2 for 2) for the Arkansas Derby. Nadal won the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 14 at Oaklawn in his last start. Charlatan, who has never run in a stakes race, has won his two starts by a combined 16 lengths.

Storm the Court, in his 3-year-old debut, finished fourth behind Nadal in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes (G2) Feb. 9 at Santa Anita and third behind another unbeaten Baffert trainee, Authentic, in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2) March 7 at Santa Anita in his last start

Eurton said he had the Arkansas Derby in the “back of his mind,” but the decision became straightforward after other major traditional April Kentucky Derby preps like the Santa Anita Derby, Blue Grass and Wood Memorial were shelved because of the Covid-19 crisis.

“We didn’t have many other choices, to be honest with you,” Eurton said. “We had so many different options that we were going to go with, but unfortunately they’re all gone the other direction.”

The Kentucky Derby was moved from May 2 to Sept. 5 Oaklawn responded by shifting the Arkansas Derby from April 11 to May 2.

“It kind of worked out good for me,” Eurton said. “It got the needed weight I wanted to get back on him. He’s trained by himself the whole time and that really helped because he’s so competitive. It keeps his metabolism a little bit lower. His weight looks really good. Is he good enough? Hey, we’re going to find out. He’s got the style. I think he’ll like the racetrack, I really do. Seems like a speed-favoring racetrack, so looking forward to it.”

Eurton, who has a string at Oaklawn for the first time this year, said he will not attend the race.

Storm the Court, a son of Court Vision, races for Exline-Border Racing LLC, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson and Dan Hudock. Storm the Court has a 2-0-2 record from six lifetime starts and earnings of $1,232,951.

Post positions for the Arkansas Derby will be drawn Sunday. A plane carrying Southern California-based horses to Arkansas is scheduled to arrive Tuesday.

The Arkansas Derby offers 170 points (100-40-20-10) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

Calhoun’s Candidates

By My Standards, unbeaten in two starts this year, worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 Saturday morning at Fair Grounds for trainer Bret Calhoun, who is pointing the multiple graded stakes winner for the $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles May 2.

By My Standards won the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) last year at Fair Grounds and the $400,000 New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2) March 21 in his most recent start. By My Standards, in his 4-year-old debut, was a six-length allowance winner Feb. 9 at Fair Grounds. He won the New Orleans Classic by three lengths.

“He was very impressive off the layoff,” Calhoun said. “He didn’t run against top horses, but he came back against good horses and did the same thing, so it was very impressive. It actually seems like it was a pretty easy race on him. He’s come back well, he’s held his weight extremely good – not put on weight – so it just kind of shows me that it wasn’t a super tough race on him. I think there’s more in the tank. I always thought all along that he could be one of the top older horses in the country this year.”

Owned by Allied Racing Stable, LLC (Chester Thomas), By My Standards has a 4-2-1 record from eight lifetime starts and earnings of $921,910.

Post positions for the Oaklawn Handicap will be drawn Sunday.

Calhoun said he hopes to run unbeaten Ain’t No Elmers in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies May 1, but fears she may be excluded from the 1 1/16-mile race because of earnings. The Fantasy is limited to 14 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest earnings.

Like By My Standards, Ain’t No Elmers is by two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Goldencents. Ain’t No Elmers has won her two career starts, both sprints this year at Fair Grounds, by a combined 15 ½ lengths. She worked half-mile in :48.40 Saturday at Fair Grounds.

“She’s not proven around two turns, but she’s a really nice filly,” Calhoun said. “I’d like to have the opportunity to run against those fillies, but we’ll see what happens. If not, maybe she’ll run in an allowance race up there that same weekend.”

Oaklawn announced Wednesday the addition of an overnight stake for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles May 1. Post positions for the Fantasy, and other May 1 races, will be drawn Saturday.

Calhoun also has a candidate for the $750,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) May 2. Mr. Big News earned an automatic berth into the Arkansas Derby with a victory in the $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes April 11.

Jockeying for Position

A double Sunday vaulted Martin Garcia into second place in the riding standings after Day 50 of the scheduled 57-day season. Garcia is riding regularly for the first time at Oaklawn after moving his tack from Southern California to the Midwest last fall.

Garcia enters Thursday’s card with 45 victories, three less than Ricardo Santana Jr., who is seeking his seventh Oaklawn riding title. Joe Talamo is third with 44 victories, followed by defending champion David Cohen with 41.

Santana was Oaklawn’s leading rider in 2013-2018 before finishing second to Cohen last year.

Finish Lines

Channing Hill underwent successful surgery Monday, the jockey’s father-in-law, trainer Wayne Catalano, said Tuesday morning. Hill had been hospitalized at CHI St. Vincent in Hot Springs after suffering a neck and back injury when he was unseated in Friday’s second race, but was released Tuesday afternoon. “We’ve been blessed,” said Catalano, who added there’s no timetable for Hill’s return, but noted former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning had the same surgery for a neck injury during his playing career. … Heavily favored Merneith ($3.60) splashed to a 10 ¼-length maiden special weights victory in Sunday’s 10th race to become the first Oaklawn winner sired by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. A recent arrival from Southern California, Merneith covered 6 furlongs over a sloppy track in 1:09.96 under Martin Garcia. Merneith is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who also guided American Pharoah to the Triple Crown. American Pharoah made his first two starts in 2015 at Oaklawn, winning the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) and the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1). … Trainer Jack Sisterson recorded his first career Oaklawn victory when Calumet Farm’s Dack Janiel’s ($8) won Sunday’s seventh race under Declan Cannon. It was Sisterson’s eighth Oaklawn starter. Sisterson spent the 2018 Oaklawn meeting overseeing Southern California-based trainer Doug O’Neill’s local division before being hired in May 2018 to train privately for Calumet. … Former jockey Arianna Spadoni is working an exercise rider for Southern California-based trainer Richard Baltas, whose eight horses on the grounds include Grade 2 winner Venetian Harbor, Oaklawn Stakes third Taishan and Sunday allowance winner Two Thirty Five. Spadoni’s significant other is six-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. Venetian Harbor is pointing for the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies May 1. Taishan is pointing for the $750,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) May 2. Favored Two Thirty Five ($7.40) was making his first start since finishing seventh in the $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) for older horses March 7 at Santa Anita. … Post positions were to be drawn Wednesday for Saturday’s $125,000 Carousel Stakes for older female sprinters and the $100,000 Bachelor Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters. … Nominations to the $165,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship Stakes for state-breds, 3 and up, at 1 1/16 miles close Thursday. … Through Sunday, Day 50 of the scheduled 57-day meeting, 319 claims had totaled $5,907,500.