Handicapping: The G1 Arkansas Derby

By Rick Francis —-

OAKLAWN PARK

Race 12) 1&1/8th Mile. Arkansas Derby Grade I. Purse $1,000,000 THREE YEAR OLDS
Post Time: 7:41/( 6:41)/ 5:41/ 4:41

5) Concert Tour – unbeaten colt out of Street Sense wired the Grade 2 Rebel field in pace controlling fashion. Baffert charge had the field put away in the final one hundred yards gearing down well before the wire. It’s still a horse race but can’t see any other outcome different from last.

2) Caddo River – Hard Spun colt sent as the Rebel fave was a bit rank on the rail and racing wide never threaten the top pick. Cox barn is an amazing 33 percent with beaten fave’s next outs but think that stat only applies for bottoms of exotics here.

3) Hozier – the only one’s not surprised by this Pioneer of the Nile’s colts Rebel effort were his connections. Speedy works litter the past performance sheet and jockey Marin Garcia caught the inside and stayed on for a solid second; you won’t get 18-1 today.

4) Get Her Number – going to draw a small line thru this Dialed In colts Rebel, as he was bumped around and didn’t seem to have the energy needed to recover. This is a Grade 1 winner, American Pharoah Stakes, and he’ll rebound for a share at a price.

The field from the rail out:

1) Super Stock (Asmussen/Santana)
2) Caddo River (Cox/Geroux)
3) Hozier (Baffert/Garcia)
4) Get Her Number (Miller/Arrieta)
5) Concert Tour (Baffert/Rosario)
6) Last Samurai (Stewart/Court)