On a sun-drenched afternoon, the first post-Arkansas Derby Saturday of racing in Oaklawn’s 115-year history, it was the 3-year-old Arkansas-breds that shined brightly before a crowd of 12,000. Bill Gossage’s Tapit Star won the $100,000 Rainbow Stakes, while two races later Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Bye Bye J won the $100,000 Rainbow Miss Stakes.

The spotlight is on Arkansas-bred 3-year-olds Saturday at Oaklawn, with the $100,000 Rainbow Stakes and $100,000 Rainbow Miss Stakes headlining a 10-race program.

Moments after Omaha Beach won the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) Saturday at Oaklawn, his owner, Rick Porter, said he was confident Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith would choose to ride the colt back in the Kentucky Derby.

Favorite Midnight Bisou demonstrated her championship potential by grinding out a narrow win over the hard-fighting Escape Clause in Sunday’s $750,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1). It was the seventh Apple Blossom for Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who won it twice with Zenyatta and three times with Azeri, and second for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who won it with champion Untapable.

C T R Stables LLC. and Steven Keh’s Fight On, a 10-1outsider, lived up to his name with a hard fought victory by a nose over fellow longshot Casino Star in Sunday’s $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes. He completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:44 3/5 over a good track.

Fox Hill Farm’s Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Omaha Beach returned to Hot Springs from his California base to post an even more impressive victory in Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) before a rain-drenched crowd of 45,000.

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Saturday, April 13, 2019) – WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing’s Quip made a successful return to Oaklawn, holding off Lone Sailor by a neck to win the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses before an estimated crowd of 45,000 on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Saturday, April 13, 2019) – A small, but select six-horse field is entered in the $750,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) Sunday at Oaklawn, a 1 1/16-event for older fillies and mares that highlights the first day of the track’s new “Stay Until May” racing calendar.

Phoenix Thoroughbreds III and KatieRich Stables’ Lady Apple used a ground saving trip to score a one-length victory at odds of 9-1 in Friday’s $500,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) before an on-track crowd of 17,000.

It’s a win-win situation since, depending on perspective, a victory in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) Saturday at Oaklawn would be a late birthday gift for Long Range Toddy or an early birthday gift for his owner, Willis Horton.