OAKLAWN PARK features the main Derby trial action this weekend with the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby featuring a well-rounded field of 10 colts.

Trainers Baffert, McPeek and Cox hold the aces, with the California raced colt Muth the morning line favourite.

The Baffert runner was over six lengths second to Fierceness in the Breeders’ Cup and had little trouble on his reappearance in winning the Grade 3 San Vicente Stakes beating a stable companion at short odds.

Timberlake got his three-year-old season off to a good start at this track in winning the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes by two lengths and just might be the more battle-hardened of the two.

Mystik Dan also has impressive track from at Oaklawn in winning the trial for this, the Southwest Stakes, by an impressive eight lengths.

There is a second Grade 1 trial at Gulfstream with the champion two-year-old and Breeders’ Cup winner Fierceness bidding to get his three-year-old career off and running.

Repole Stable’s City Of Light colt was disappointing when third to Hades in the Grade 3 Holy Bull, racing wide but getting to the lead before being run out of it by the winner and Domestic Product in second.

That colt went on to win the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby so the form does measure into a so far less that exciting trial season. Fierceness has also been moving fast in recent workouts.

Hades, a Joseph Orseno-trained gelding, is unbeaten in his three outings to date, all at Gulfstream, and there appeared no fluke about his Holy Bull win, though it was off a slow pace.

Shug McGaughey’s Conquest Warrior, $1 million as a yearling and another son of City Of Light, has won an allowance race and his maiden here this year and is the third choice but figures to be in the mix.