OP Stakes Advance – Hot Springs Stakes

Stakes Advance – Hot Springs Stakes
Compiled by Robert Yates

Contact: Chris Ho Vice President of Marketing

cho@oaklawn.com, 501-623-4411 ext. 4201

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Stakes Race Advance – $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes – Thursday, March 26, 2026

Grade 3 winner Desert Gate looks to rebound in the one-mile $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes for 3-year-olds Thursday at Oaklawn.

The Hot Springs headlines a nine-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. CDT. Probable post time for the Hot Springs, the eighth race, is 4:19 p.m.

Seven horses are entered in the Hot Springs, but Bricklin and Smarty Jones Stakes winner Strategic Risk will be scratched. Bricklin will run in Saturday’s $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1), trainer Rodolphe Brisset said. Strategic Risk will miss the race after emerging from a recent workout with an ankle issue, dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said.

Desert Gate, the 6-5 program favorite, will be making his first start outside California for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and the high-profile ownership group of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman.

Desert Gate was one of the country’s top 2-year-olds after winning the Best Pal Stakes (G3) at Del Mar and running second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at Del Mar and the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita. A son of 2019 Arkansas Derby winner Omaha Beach, Desert Gate was a Kentucky Derby candidate before finishing a disappointing fourth as the favorite in his 3-year-old debut, the one-mile Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) Feb. 7 at Santa Anita.

“We were hoping he would be on the Kentucky Derby trail,” Baffert said. “His last race, he just didn’t really show up. So, we freshened him up a little bit, but he’s doing well. Tough race. I don’t like the 1 hole.”

Desert Gate will break from the rail under two-time Eclipse Award winner Flavien Prat, who will ride the colt for the first time. Desert Gate has recorded four published workouts at Santa Anita since the Robert B. Lewis.

“It’s a good spot,” Baffert said. “It’s a pretty competitive spot. But he’s doing well, so I thought we’ll try that.”

Lincoln’s Law, Race Ready, Top Level and Soldier N Diplomat are also entered.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will send out Soldier N Diplomat after winning last year’s Hot Springs with Clever Again.

Soldier N Diplomat ran in Oaklawn’s last two Kentucky Derby qualifying races, finishing second in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 6 and fifth in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 1. Both races were 1 1/16 miles.

Soldier N Diplomat was caught seven-wide on the first turn of the Rebel and beaten 13 ½ lengths after breaking from post 9 in the nine-horse field.

“I love him at a mile,” Asmussen said. “Little frustrated with the trip that he got, post draw, and how things went into the first turn. I think the right thing to do with him right now is to back him up to a mile and regroup.”

Lincoln’s Law exits a sharp debut victory at six furlongs Feb. 28 at Gulfstream Park for trainer Phil Bauer.

Top Level, another Casse trainee, will be making his stakes debut after finishing a troubled second, beaten a neck, in a Feb. 28 allowance race at 1 1/16 miles. The winner, Exosome, is entered in the Arkansas Derby. Top Level broke his maiden sprinting by 2 ¾ lengths Feb. 6 at Oaklawn.

“I was actually expecting a better effort out of him after he broke his maiden,” Casse said. “He did have a little bit of trouble, but he needs to show more.”

Casse’s son, trainer Norm Casse, will start Race Ready, who exits a 3 ½-length maiden score at 1 1/16 miles earlier on Oaklawn’s Feb. 28 card.