Coal Battle scoring the Rebel. (Shelby Layne Ridgway/Coady Media)
Race for the Lilies: the $750,000 G2 Fantasy Stakes
Saudi Crown goes in the $300,000 G3 Oaklawn Mile
Almostgone Rocket Perfect Hopes in the $250,000 Matron Stakes
Bonus videos!
Robert Yates/Oaklawn Park
Coal Battle will be chasing history and, likely, another Bob Baffert horse Saturday at Oaklawn in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.
No horse has won Oaklawn’s Smarty Jones Stakes, Rebel Stakes (G2) and Arkansas Derby. Coal Battle has already pocketed the first two, overhauling Baffert’s speedy Madaket Road to win the 1 1/16-mile Rebel by 1 ¼ lengths Feb. 23.
Coal Battle returns for the Arkansas Derby. So does Baffert, the Southern California-based Hall of Fame trainer who will send out dazzling debut winner Cornucopian, the 7-5 program favorite.
Baffert, however, sees the morning line differently.
“Him being the favorite? I don’t know about that,” Baffert said. “I don’t think he should be the favorite because he has just one out. Coal Battle should be the favorite. I think he might end up the favorite. He’s a good horse and that Sandman’s a good horse. Grade 1s are always tough, but they’re supposed to be tough.”
The Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying event, headlines a 14-race card that begins at 11:20 a.m. (Central). Gates open at 10:30 a.m., with probable post time for the Arkansas Derby, the 13th race, 6:48 p.m.
Weather permitting, the infield will be open. There is a 70 percent chance of light rain early Saturday, with breaks of sun in the afternoon, according to weather.com.
Five other stakes races will be run Saturday Oaklawn – $750,000 Fantasy (G2) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3) for older horses, $250,000 Matron for older fillies and mares at 6 furlongs, $145,000 Eclipse Overnight for older horses at 6 furlongs and the $145,000 American Pharoah Overnight for older horses at 1 1/16 miles.
American Pharoah Overnight Field
The Arkansas Derby will award 200 total points (100-50-25-15-10, respectively) to its top five finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. Cornucopian will likely need a top two finish in the Arkansas Derby to secure a spot in the Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 starters.
Arkansas Derby program favorite Cornucopian galloping Thursday morning at Oaklawn in advance of Saturday's $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) for HOF trainer Bob Baffert. pic.twitter.com/WnCvSt5OuL
— Robert Yates (@RobertYates1982) March 27, 2025
In his only career start, Cornucopian produced the fastest six-furlong time in Oaklawn history for a 3-year-old maiden (1:09.02) in a front-running 5 ¾-length romp Feb. 23. That towering performance generated an eye-catching 101 Beyer Speed Figure.
Cornucopian, a $1.1 million son of Into Mischief, will try to give Baffert a record-extending sixth Arkansas Derby victory. The bay colt has an all-star cast of owners, including SF Racing (Gavin Murphy), Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf), Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin) and Stonestreet Stables (Barbara Banke). Baffert won last year’s Arkansas Derby with Muth.
Baffert decided on a return trip to Oaklawn after Cornucopian recorded three published workouts earlier this month at Santa Anita, the last a five-furlong move in 1:00 March 22. An unlikely two-turn debut comes in a seven-figure Grade 1 race, and in just his second lifetime start.
“I waited for the work,” Baffert said. “He’s nominated everywhere. I could have run him in the Lexington (April 12 at Keeneland) or whatever. He’s a big, strong beautiful horse and he shipped and ran really well up there, going six furlongs. That was a pretty stiff race into him. He came back and worked well. The pace makes the race. He’ll be forwardly placed. I think we’re all going to know the answer turning for home. I just hope he’s right there.”
Coal Battle has already secured a Kentucky Derby spot, ranking fourth on the latest leaderboard with 70 points. Coal Battle is unbeaten in five career dirt starts, including the $250,000 Smarty Jones Jan. 4 and the Rebel, Oaklawn’s first and third Kentucky Derby qualifying races, respectively. Both races were 1 1/16 miles.
Coal Battle extended his dirt streak in his final two starts at 2, the $100,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes Nov. 8 at Delta Downs and the $300,000 Remington Springboard Mile Dec. 13 at Remington Park.
“It seems like yesterday he was winning the Jean Lafitte,” said Lonnie Briley, who trains Coal Battle for owner Robbie Norman (Norman Stables).
Coal Battle was also under consideration for the $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes (G1) April 5 at Keeneland, but Briley opted to keep the Coal Front colt home for his final Kentucky Derby prep.
“He’s feeling good and everything,” Briley said. “I can’t say it enough. This horse takes care of himself. I kind of wanted to go to this one, anyway. They kept calling me to go to the Blue Grass. I didn’t want to ship to Keeneland then ship to Churchill. He (Norman) left it up to me. He said I could skip this race and go straight to the Derby and it would be fine with him.”
Speed King was a wire-to-wire winner of Oaklawn’s second Kentucky Derby qualifying race, the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 25. Speed King looks to rebound from a 10th-place finish in the Rebel for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs.
Sandman finished a troubled second in the Southwest and was third as the favorite in the Rebel for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. The Tapit colt will be reunited with Ortiz, the 2024-2025 Fair Grounds riding king, in trying to secure his first career stakes victory.
“This is the one we’ve been waiting for,” Casse said. “All systems are go. No excuses. We’re going to get an extra sixteenth of a mile. Definitely going to be a fair amount of pace. It may only be by one horse (Cornucopian), but, yeah, I’m happy where we are. Obviously, Bob’s horse is the unknown. I think if he wins, then I tip my hat to the horse and to Bob. If anybody can do it, Bob can do it. But it’s a tall task. So, we’ll see.”
Publisher is a six-race maiden for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, but the American Pharoah colt exits a fourth, beaten just 3 ¾ lengths, in the Rebel and adds blinkers for the Arkansas Derby.
“He’s due,” said Asmussen, a four-time Arkansas Derby winner. “Got all the foundation and doing extremely well at the right time. Obviously concerned about weather, racetrack – how it plays – and the lack of anybody to go with Cornucopian.”
Will Take Charge won the Smarty Jones and Rebel in 2013, but he the skipped the Arkansas Derby. Will Take Charge, who was trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, was an Eclipse Award in 2013 as North America’s champion 3-year-old male.
Race for the Lilies: the $750,000 G2 Fantasy Stakes
Unbeaten Simply Joking (2 for 2) is the 8-5 program favorite for the Fantasy, Oaklawn’s third and final Kentucky Oaks race. The 1 1/16-mile Fantasy drew 10 entrants, including stakes winners Quietside and Runnin N Gunnin and recent maiden special with graduate Princess Aliyah.
Simply Joking hasn’t started since a front-running 2 ½-length victory in the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes at 1 mile and 70 yards Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds. Simply Joking was entered in the $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds, but she was scratched from the 1 1/16-mile race because of a minor illness, trainer Whit Beckman said.
Simply Joking was nominated to the $750,000 Ashland Stakes (G1) April 4 at Keeneland, but her Kentucky Oaks push will come in the Fantasy.
“I think the timing of it, just because she hasn’t run in so long,” Beckman said. “The Ashland’s still another week later. The timing made sense. The $750,000 purse was attractive, but mostly it was just the timing.”
The Fantasy will award 200 total points (100-50-25-15-10, respectively) to the top five finishers toward Kentucky Oaks starting eligibility. Thorpedo Anna swept both races last year en route to Horse of the Year honors.
Simply Joking ranks 22nd on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 20 points. The race is limited to 14 starters.
Quietside, the 2-1 second choice in the program, exits a one-length victory over Five G in the $500,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 23 at Oaklawn. The Honeybee marked the first career stakes victory for Quietside (she had previously finished second in three tries) and secured a spot in the Kentucky Oaks. Quietside ranks second with 68 points and retains jockey Jose Ortiz, who rode her for the first time in the Honeybee.
“She could not be doing any better,” trainer John Ortiz said. “She came out of that race (Honeybee) in great shape. You really see the twinkle in her eye now – that she gets it. She’s been knocking on the door, being the bridesmaid. We know how it goes. Jose really utilized her speed early. When Five G crossed over, she just sat right off her. We know she (Quietside) has got speed. He knows when to use it. The keys are handed over to Jose now.”
The Honeyebee marked the record-tying 39th career Oaklawn stakes victory for Arkansas lumberman John Ed Anthony, who bred and owns Quietside. The late John Franks, a four-time Eclipse Award winner as North America’s outstanding owner, also won 39 stakes races at Oaklawn, the last coming in 2000.
Anthony and John Ortiz have a (milestone) history together.
Anthony became the winningest owner in Oaklawn history when the Ortiz-trained Rolling Fork captured an Arkansas-bred allowance race Feb. 26, 2022. Ortiz’s 100th career Oaklawn victory came March 9, 2024, with Black Apple, another Shortleaf homebred. Anthony has 298 career Oaklawn victories, 172 as Loblolly Stable and 126 as Shortleaf Stable.
“It’s exciting, obviously,” Ortiz said. “This is not just a victory we’re looking for to take us to the Oaks, but it means so much for Mr. John Ed, for sure, and for my barn, too, because of the support he’s always shown. I love hitting these milestones with Mr. John Ed. Winning the stakes races here at Oaklawn is the most meaningful thing.”
Runnin N Gunnin exits a 4 ¾-length victory in the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks at one mile Feb. 16 at Sunland Park for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Princess Aliyah, a $1.1 million daughter of Into Mischief, exits a 1 ½-length maiden special weight victory at onr mile March 9 at Oaklawn for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
“I think that she’s developing at the right time,” Lukas said. “Whether it’s in time for this one, I don’t know. But she’s coming in the right direction.”
Lukas is seeking his first Fantasy victory.
Saudi Crown Headlines in the $300,000 G3 Oaklawn Mile
Millionaire Grade 1 winner Saudi Crown headlines the Oaklawn Mile, which drew eight entrants. Trained by Brad Cox, the speedy Saudi Crown hasn’t started since finishing fifth, beaten 8 ¾ lengths, in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.
“Doing very well,” Cox said. “I love the distance with him. I like two turns with him. I marked this race about a month ago. Prepared him for it and I think he’ll run well.”
Regular rider Florent Geroux is named to ride Saudi Crown, 7-5 on the morning line, from post 8,
“Obviously, cutting back from a mile and an eighth to a mile,” Cox said. “Hopefully, he breaks well and gets a good position and see if handles Oaklawn.”
In addition to Saudi Crown, a career winner of $3,212,885, the Oaklawn Mile drew The Wine Steward for trainer Mike Maker and two entrants for trainer David Jacobson – Banishing and Payne, who demolished $50,000 claimers in six-furlong race last Saturday at Oaklawn.
The Wine Steward (4-1) exits a neck victory in the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes at one mile Jan. 25 at Oaklawn. The Fifth Season was The Wine Steward’s first start against older horses.
Maker won the inaugural Oaklawn Mile in 2019 with Exulting.
Banishing has been razor-sharp this season at Oaklawn, winning a 6-furlong allowance race Dec. 20, the inaugural $145,000 Byerley Turk Overnight Stakes at 6 furlongs Jan. 23 and finishing second, beaten a head, in the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 23.
Banishing won the Byerley Turk by 7 ½ lengths and nearly wired his rivals in the Razorback, which was run in a meet-best 1:41.88. Flavien Prat retains the mount on Banishing (9-5).
“His record speaks for itself,” Jacobson said. “It’s a good race. It looks like there might be some speed in there. He might have to change his running style a little bit, but that will be up to Flavien, too, to make that call when the gates open. He’ll have to play the break.”
Just Steel is cross-entered the six-furlong $145,000 Eclipse Stakes at 6 furlongs Saturday at Oaklawn, but he will run in the Oaklawn Mile, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said.
Just Steel (15-1) ran in all four of Oaklawn’s Kentucky Derby qualifying races last season, highlighted by a second-place finish in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles. Just Steel emerged from a fifth-place finish in last May’s Preakness with a leg injury, sidelining the Justify colt for the remainder of 2024.
Just Steel has started twice this season at Oaklawn, finishing fifth sprinting in his Feb. 23 allowance comeback and fourth in a one-mile allowance race March 16.
“I think he’s a two-turn horse,” Lukas said. “He’s probably taken a little longer to get fit than I thought. In a perfect world, I would probably put a few more works in him, but this race came up. Being a mile, I thought we would take a chance at it.”
Almostgone Rocket Seeks to Stay Unbeaten in the $250,000 Matron Stakes
Unbeaten Almostgone Rocket is the 3-5 program favorite for the Matron, which has listed stakes status for the first time this year. The Matron debuted in 2023.
Brad Cox trains Almostgone Rocket (3 for 3) for prominent Arkansas businessman Frank Fletcher and Ten Strike Racing. Almostgone Rocket will be making her first start since a six-length victory in the $150,000 Jersey Girl Stakes at six furlongs June 6 at Saratoga. Almostgone Rocket broke her maiden at six furlongs, an 11 ¾-length blowout in her April 5 career debut at Oaklawn. She cleared her first allowance condition by 4 ¼ lengths May 3 at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, a $250,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate, will be facing older horses for the first time Saturday.
“She showed a tremendous amount of talent in her three starts,” Cox said. “It’s not an easy spot to get your year kicked off with. She’s obviously short on seasoning, but I thought she drew well. We’ll see how it goes. She’s a very talented filly and we’re hoping this leads to bigger and better things down the road.”
Almostgone Rocket is scheduled to break from post 4 under Flavien Prat. Other contenders in the six-horse field are Arkansas-bred star Haulin Ice and Benedetta. Arkansas-bred star Haulin Ice returns to open company in search of her third victory of the meeting for Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who has a string this season at Oaklawn.
Haulin Ice beat open company Dec. 22 and breezed to a front-running six-length victory in her last start, the $150,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders’ Stakes for Arkansas-bred fillies and mares March 1. Both races were six furlongs. Haulin Ice has done her best work at Oaklawn, bankrolling $462,800 off a 5-2-0 record from seven starts. Haulin Ice ($538,850) would surpass the now-retired Connie K as the leading accredited Arkansas-bred female money winner in history with a victory Saturday. Connie K earned $620,612.
“We had to think about it (Matron) a bit,” Joseph said. “We shipped her back to Florida and we are shipping back again. She’s going to ship twice here in a month, so that is a bit of a concern. But she seems to be happy enough. She worked well and we decided to give it a go. It’s a much tougher race this time, obviously.”
Franciso Arrieta rides Haulin Ice (7-2) from post 6. She broke from the rail in the Downthedustyroad.
“Last time, she was drawn inside, but outside is a good post for her,” Joseph said. “She is quick enough to get the lead if she needs it and she can stalk. That will be up to the rider.”
Benedetta (4-1) exits a runner-up finish in the $150,000 Carousel Stakes older fillies and mares at six furlongs Feb. 23 at Oaklawn. Benedetta opened 2025 with a 1 ¼-length victory in the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes at six furlongs Feb. 1 at Oaklawn. Benedetta also broke from the rail in the Carousel, when she was beaten a half-length.
“She’s found that spot,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I was very surprised she was third choice in a six-horse field, but I like her.”
The Matron also drew American Band, an upset winner of last year’s race for owner/trainer John Haran.
