HOT SPRINGS, AR (Friday, May 1, 2020) – Peter J. Callahan’s Swiss Skydiver, despite her #1 ranking on the Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard, was overlooked at odds of 16-1, but this will probably be the last time her connections can cash a big ticket after she pulled away late to defeat 4-5 favorite Venetian Harbor by 2 ½ lengths in Friday’s $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3).

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Friday, May 1, 2020) – JRita Young Thoroughbred LLC’s Man In The Can proved he’s the best male Arkansas-bred at Oaklawn when he stepped up against older horses and won Friday’s $165,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship by a neck over 4-5 favorite KJ’s Nobility.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Arkansas Derby a record five times and he’ll have two chances to increase that total when he sends out Gouverneur Morris and Farmington Road in Saturday’s split $500,000 Grade 1 race at 1 1/8 miles.

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Friday, May 1, 2020) – It’s not far-fetched to think that more than half of the 14-horse field entered in Saturday’s $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) will be among the starters in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland based on the quality of the field. There are 10 Graded stakes winners and 13 total stakes winners among the field.

Wells Bayou is running in a Derby on the first Saturday in May, just not the one at Churchill Downs. But for his local owners, the second division of the $500,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) is the next best thing.

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Thursday, April 30, 2020) – Oaklawn has split three of its four Kentucky Derby prep races once during the last decade, and so far it’s a split decision for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Jockey Martin Garcia had a memorable Sunday at Oaklawn, and it included more than picking up two live mounts in upcoming major stakes races for Southern California-based trainer Bob Baffert.

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Wednesday, April 29, 2020) – Trainer Cecil Borel has a chance to go out a winner – maybe this time for good – when he sends out 5-2 program favorite K J’s Nobility against 10 scheduled rivals in the $165,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship Stakes for state-breds Friday at Oaklawn.

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Wednesday, April 29, 2020) – Horses from all parts of the country converging for Friday’s ninth race at Oaklawn isn’t a fantasy. It is the Fantasy, a $400,000 Grade 3 stakes race for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles that drew a full field of 14, including champion British Idiom and four Grade 2 winners.

Grade 1 winner Improbable completed major preparations for the $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles May 2 with a 5-furlong workout over a fast track Sunday morning at Oaklawn for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Later in the day, Improbable drew post 14 of 14 for the race, the second straight race where he’s drawn the far outside.