Editorial

Arkansas Derby Preview

userMarch 22, 2022

The Arkansas Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses that takes place at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas every year. The race currently offers a purse of $1.25 million. It is run at 1 1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt, and it is the final local prep race for the Kentucky Derby.

The race is held annually in April and this year’s edition of the grand race will take place on April 2, 2022, therefore there are just a few weeks in which punters will potentially get to see a winner for the major race that takes place a month later on May 7, 2022.

This article will aim to look at what horse racing enthusiasts can expect to look forward to when the racing comes to Arkansas, and will also provide a detailed history about the event, thus potentially providing you with some background information and an insight into what could happen in a matter of days time.
History of the Arkansas Derby
The race was previously known as the “Arkansas Derby Trial” from 1936-1938 and again from 1939-1955. It was renamed the “Arkansas Times Classic” in 1956, and then the “Arkansas Derby” in 1957.

The first Arkansas Derby was held in 1936 and was won by a horse named Firethorn. The event was not run from 1937 to 1938 due to financial difficulties at the racetrack. It resumed in 1939 and has been held annually since then with the exception of 1943-1945 when Oaklawn Park was closed due to World War II.

The purse for the 2017 race was increased to $1 million as part of a five-year sponsorship agreement between WinStar Farm and Oaklawn Park. However, the 2022 edition of the race features a purse that has since been increased and is now worth $1.25 million, given the appeal and the popularity that the event has since managed to acquire with punters from all over the U.S. and other countries globally.
What are some key takeaways from previous Arkansas Derbies?
As mentioned earlier, the Arkansas Derby is a key prep race for the Kentucky Derby, and many horses who have run in the Arkansas Derby have gone on to have successful careers at the highest levels of racing. In recent years, top three-year-olds such as Curlin, Hard Spun, and Street Sense have all used the Arkansas Derby as a springboard to success in the Triple Crown races as they formed an incredible rivalry between them.

American Pharoah is the most celebrated champion of the event, as he is the first Arkansas Derby winner to be a Triple Crown champion after winning the Rebel Stakes first before finishing the triple with a win at the Kentucky Derby. In the process, American Pharoah – who became the 12th Triple Crown winner – managed to achieve something that Smarty Jones was also to achieve.

The current record for the Arkansas Derby is held by Althea, who won the race in 1984 with a time of 1:46.80. In doing so, the mare also became the only female horse in history to have won the Arkansas Derby, as well!
Who are some of the previous winners?
The Arkansas Derby has been won by several notable horses over the years, including Curlin in 2007, who was once one of the most decorated Arkansas Derby winners prior to the rise of American Pharoah. As mentioned, American Pharoah is now one of the most celebrated horses to have ever competed in the race, whilst Super Stock – ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. and trained by Steve Asmussen – was last year’s winner.

Other previous winners can include Sunny’s Halo, Smarty Jones, and Concern, thus highlighting the strength of competition that continues to be on show and racing in the event.

Given that the Arkansas Derby continues to be an incredibly competitive race, it is something that sports bettors within the region should be aware of if they decide that they wish to have a punt on who they feel could be the winner in the upcoming meeting.

Bettors in the state are now able to utilize sportsbooks such as the BetMGM Arkansas offering where they are able to take full advantage of an exceptional bonus promo code that can be used to help enhance their overall online sports betting experiences.

With that in mind, it is perhaps wise for individuals who are perhaps thinking of using the incentive on the Arkansas Derby to know about the history of the race, understand just how competitive it is, and perhaps take a look at who the favorites for the 2022 event on April 2, 2022.
Favorites for 2022 Arkansas Derby
Currently, it would seem rather difficult to pick out a favorite from the confirmed runners and those that look set to appear at the meet, as each of them brings something different to the track and appears to be within the argument as a potential winner; which is just one of the many things we love about sports.

Un Ojo – which is a horse that has just one-eye (as the translation of his name from Spanish to English reveals) – is in good racing form at the moment and has finished second and first in his two races thus far, with the winner coming at the Oaklawn Park track where the Arkansas Derby will be raced.

However, the filly Secret Oath is one of the most talked-about at the moment, as she is an impressive three-year-old that has continued to shine since making her racing debut. Thus far, she has been involved in four races and has won three of them, with the other being a rather poor fifth out of eight runners.

Two of Secret Oath’s wins have come at Oaklawn Park, though, which is why there is an air of confidence regarding her chances of winning the Arkansas Derby. This will have been further amplified by the fact that she managed to win the last meet back on February 26, 2022, by seven-and-a-half lengths as she blew Ice Orchid away with a storming effort!

Despite not having been able to record a win in his short career, Barber Road is another top prospect that could head to the meet on April 2 that some will want to keep an eye on. He has run at Oaklawn Park recently and has only fallen short by a few lengths, with a second and third-placed finish in his last two races.

userMarch 22, 2022
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