Muth, Timberlake Lead Field For Arkansas Derby

Grade 1 winners Muth and Timberlake were installed the top two wagering choices on the morning line for the $1.5-million Arkansas Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds Saturday at Oaklawn.

Muth (8-5) and Timberlake (9-5) were among 10 horses entered Sunday morning in the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn’s fourth and final Kentucky Derby points race. The Arkansas Derby, the 12^th race, anchors a 13-race program that begins at 12:05 (CT). Probable post time for the Arkansas Derby is 6:47 p.m.

In addition to the Arkansas Derby, there are three other stakes races on the program – $750,000 Fantasy (G2) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3) for older horses and the $250,000 Matron for older fillies and mares at six furlongs.

The Arkansas Derby could award as many as 200 points to its top five finishers (100-50-25-15-10, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. The race is limited to 20 starters.

Muth will try to give trainer Bob Baffert his record-tying fifth Arkansas Derby victory. Muth hasn’t started since winning the San Vicente (G2) at seven furlongs Jan. 6 at Santa Anita. The son of Good Magic, unraced outside California, recorded his biggest career victory to date in the American Pharoah (G1) Oct. 7 at Santa Anita. Muth closed 2023 with a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

Muth, owing to Baffert’s suspension by Churchill Downs, is ineligible for Kentucky Derby qualifying points and to run in the first leg of the Triple Crown.

Trainer Brad Cox bids for his third consecutive Arkansas Derby victory with Timberlake, who launched his 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Rebel (G2) Feb. 24 at Oaklawn. The 1 1/16-mile Rebel was Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby points race.

Timberlake concluded 2023 with a victory in the Champagne (G1) – a one-turn mile – Oct. 7 at Aqueduct and a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. No trainer has won Oaklawn’s Arkansas Derby three consecutive years.

Mystik Dan, the early third choice, is unraced since a dazzling eight-length victory in Oaklawn’s 1 1/16-miles Southwest (G3) Feb. 3. The son of Goldencents has been based at Fair Grounds since arctic temperatures, snow and rain forced Oaklawn to cancel 11 days of training (Jan. 13-23). The Southwest was Oaklawn’s second Kentucky Derby points race.

Just Steel and Liberal Arts were second and third, respectively, in the Southwest. Trainer Steve Asmussen is scheduled to start Rebel fifth-place finisher Dimatic, Imperial Gun, and Informed Patriot in search of his fifth Arkansas Derby victory. 

Informed Patriot finished third in the Smarty Jones ] Jan. 1, was Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby points race. Smarty Jones winner Catching Freedom returned to win the Louisiana Derby (G2) Saturday at Fair Grounds for Cox.

The Arkansas Derby field from the rail out: Will Take It, Francisco Arrieta to ride, 121 pounds, 50-1 on the morning line; Timberlake, Flavien Prat, 124, 9-5; Dimatic, Cristian Torres, 121, 20-1; Time for Truth, Rafael Bejarano, 121, 20-1; Liberal Arts, Tyler Gaffalione, 124, 15-1; Informed Patriot, Ricardo Santana Jr., 121, 30-1; Muth, Juan Hernandez, 124, 8-5; Just Steel, Keith Asmussen, 124, 15-1; Mystik Dan, Brian Hernandez Jr., 124, 5-2; and Imperial Gun, Emmanuel Esquivel, 121, 30-1.