Arkansas Derby (Grade 1)

TWO Grade 1 Kentucky Derby trials, two beaten favourites, but both those horses still emerged with credit from the defeats.

Sovereignty and Cornucopian were the vanquished, but both names may well fare on the Grade 1 roll of honour by season’s end.

But there is a new name heading the points list for the Kentucky Derby and that is the Mark Casse-trained grey colt Sandman.

He took the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby by two and a half lengths after the race set up perfectly for his closing style.

Coming from behind off a blistering pace set by Speed King and Cornucopian, the son of Tapit outkicked fellow closer Publisher by two and a half lengths to capture the $1.5 million Derby at Oaklawn Park.

Stewards briefly reviewed the finish as Sandman drifted out under urging, before making no change to the order of finish.

Coal Battle finished third, four and a half lengths behind the runner-up, followed by favourite Cornucopian, who still emerged with credit off the very fast pace, in fourth.

Sandman had a bad start when runner-up in the Southwest Stakes and had too much ground to make up in third in the Rebel Stakes, but it set up for him in the Arkansas Derby.

When Cornucopian joined front-running Speed King opening up over eight lengths on Coal Battle by the half-mile and clocking splits of :22.46secs, :45.21secs, and a 1m10.37secs for a mile, it left the leaders done for by the top of the straight.

“As Jose (Ortiz) said, he wants you to get into a rhythm and, if you can get him into that rhythm, he’ll just go,” trainer Mark Casse said afterwards.

Sandman’s owners purchased him for $1.2 million from the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training.

John Velazquez took some criticism for the ride on the Baffert favourite Cornucopian, the Into Mischief colt was only having his second race and joining a too fast early pace.

Lonnie Briley, trainer of the third, also still has hopes going to Kentucky with a big chance with his rags to riches Coal Battle.

“I think he was too fresh today. I needed four works and I got three, and it showed today,” Briley told FanDuel Racing TV.

Quietside, daughter of Malibu Moon, took another step forward for trainer John Ortiz, as she prevailed by three-quarters of a length after a duel with the previously unbeaten Simply Joking to capture the $750,000 Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes.

Four lengths clear of the rest of the field turning for home, the two three-year-old rivals battled through the stretch until the final furlong, when Quietside began to edge clear to win by three-quarters of a length, with the third Runnin N Gunnin over three lengths back.

Curlin Florida Derby (Grade 1)

AT Gulfstream, Godolphin’s favourite, Sovereignty also met defeat at the hooves of the Brad Cox-trained Tappan Street in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

Tappan Street had finished second in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream in February and was coming off an eight-week break.

Madaket Road and Neoequos led out of the gate into the first turn. Madaket Road, ridden by Mike Smith for Bob Baffert, set fractions to a mile in 1m 11.61secs.

Neoequos edged ahead of Madaket Road entering the stretch, before Tappan Street, who had travelled well in third, racing ahead of Sovereignty in fourth, overtook the leaders and held off the challenge of the second.

“The whole way I had a lot of horse. We knew the speed was inside and we followed the speed. Everything came out perfect.

“I saw (Sovereignty) and I let my horse go a little bit more, and he gave me a good turn of foot. When he came to the top of the stretch, I knew it was going to be tough to catch,” winning rider Luis Saez said.

Both the first two have 110 points, in joint third on the Kentucky Derby points board.

Bill Mott was philosophical on his beaten favourite. “The winner ran good. It was a good race. This doesn’t have to be his (Sovereignty’s) best race. You don’t want their best race before the big event.

“This is a very important race, but I think the fact that he ran very big last time and ran very well this time, maybe he’ll continue to improve.

Easy win

The Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks brought an easy win for the George Weaver-trained Five G, the Vekoma filly winning by two lengths from Anna’s Promise with over 10 lengths back to the third Cassiar.

The win moved her up to third on the leaderboard with 125 and establishes her as one of the top contenders for the Kentucky Oak.

Grade 1 winner Far Bridge got back in action with a win in the Grade 3 Pan American Stakes.

In the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes over 12 furlongs for fillies on the turf saw Graham Motion’s South African star Beach Bomb add her second US graded success this season. The five-year-old by Lancaster Bomber, held off Silvology by a head under Luis Saez.

In the Grade 3 Ghostzapper Stakes Presented By Fanduel TV, Pegasus World Cup winner White Abarrio had little difficulty in beating the filly Power Squeeze by five and a quarter lengths. He now heads off seeking his fifth Grade 1 triumph in the Met Mile in June at Saratoga.