Obviously a switch in positions as there was going to be a 2/3rds value placed on entry into the Kentucky Derby if the race would be split. But now there will be two full allotments. This is fantastic for Oaklawn whose meet closes this weekend. It needs to be repeated: one of the best venues in North America.
Oaklawn Park saw
just enough entries submitted Sunday to run its signature
Arkansas Derby (G1) in two divisions, adding intrigue to a first Saturday in May that will go without a Kentucky Derby for the first time since 1945.
That the Arkansas Derby wasn’t limited to its usual 14 starters allowed both
Nadal and
Charlatan -- high-profile, unbeaten colts from Bob Baffert’s barn -- a way into the field. Nadal was safely qualified, but Charlatan, who progressed through maiden and allowance ranks with triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, wouldn’t have had the earnings necessary to crack a regular Arkansas Derby.
The split races with 22 total contenders will carry $500,000 purses and buck a bit of precedent when it comes to their points values toward the 2020 Kentucky Derby. Churchill Downs will award the full allotment of 100-40-20-10 points to both races' top-four finishers.
In the past, split division points correlated to the flights’ purse value relative to the original amount offered. For instance, under normal circumstances, $500,000 splits of what was originally a $750,000 race would have been worth two-thirds the points.
This, of course, is an abnormal year, with increased interest in the Arkansas Derby stemming from lost opportunities elsewhere. Other major preps — the Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial and Blue Grass Stakes — were all postponed or canceled. The last points-paying opportunity for horsemen fell on March 28 with the Florida Derby.
“While we are always respectful of the time-honored traditions of the Kentucky Derby, we’re in the midst of an unprecedented year,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Kevin Flanery. “We recognize that there are numerous 3-year-olds currently in training with limited racing opportunities, and our prominent partner Oaklawn Park is in a unique and important position to immediately fill a void for horsemen.
"An extension of the Road to the Kentucky Derby will continue to evolve in the weeks ahead. Our Churchill Downs team is united in our commitment to holding the very best Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5, and it will certainly be one of the most memorable of our lifetimes.”
We'll update here once the two fields are set. Other top contenders include the Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Wells Bayou, Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner King Guillermo, Southwest Stakes winner Silver Prospector (G3) and Storm the Court, 2019's champion 2-year-old colt.
First post time on Oaklawn's 14-race closing Saturday card, which includes the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses, is 1 p.m. ET.
