Oaklawn: $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes Recap

$200,000 Hot Springs Stakes Recap
Compiled by Robert Yates | Photo Credit: Coady Media

Chris Ho, Vice President of Marketing

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

DESERT GATE – Hot Springs Stakes – 4th Running

Thursday, Mar. 26, 2026

For Immediate Release

Oaklawn Stakes Race Recap – $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes

Grade 3 winner Desert Gate showed his class Thursday afternoon at Oaklawn with a wire-to-wire romp in the one-mile $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Desert Gate, the 2-5 favorite under Flavien Prat, finished 9 3/4 lengths ahead of Soldier N Diplomat in what was a match race after three scratches reduced the starting field to just four. It was 7 ¾ lengths farther back to Race Ready, who nosed out Top Level for third.

Racing in blinkers for the first time, Prat sent Desert Gate to the lead from the rail in his first start outside California. Desert Gate led a chasing Soldier N Diplomat by a length after a quarter-mile, half-mile and 6 furlongs in 1:10.37. Desert Gate drew clear in the short stretch run – mile races at Oaklawn begin and end at the sixteenth pole – stopping the clock in 1:37.03. The track was fast.

Desert Gate paid $2.80 and $2.10. Soldier N Diplomat, the 9-5 second choice, paid $2.20. There was no show wagering following the scratches of Bricklin, Lincoln’s Law and Strategic Risk.

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert trains Desert Gate, a son of 2019 Arkansas Derby winner Omaha Beach, for longtime clients 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.

The Hot Springs marked Desert Gate’s first start since a disappointing fourth as the favorite in his 3-year-old debut, the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at 1 mile Feb. 7 at Santa Anita. Juan Hernandez had ridden Desert Gate in his first five lifetime starts.

A Triple Crown nominee, Desert Gate raised his career earnings to $372,000 following his third victory from six starts. He was purchased for $260,000 at the 2025 OBS March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in training.

Thursday’s estimated attendance was 5,000. Total mutuel handle was $4,270,285.

Racing resumes Friday at 12:30 p.m. CDT with 12 races, highlighted by the $1 million Fantasy Stakes (G2) for 3-year-old fillies.

Hot Springs Quotes

Winning Jockey Flavian Prate (Desert Gate):“I wanted to get him out of there and get him into his rhythm. Obviously, concerned about drawing inside. He jumped OK and I was able to get him on the lead. From there after that, I thought he was traveling very well. Obviously, I talked to (Bob) Baffert. He really wanted him to be forwardly placed.”