It’s ‘Pharoah’s’ Turn
Updated: July 21, 2015 at 4:15 pm
Reigning juvenile champion American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), a devastating winner while making his sophomore debut in a sloppy renewal of the GII Rebel S. Mar. 14, looks to punch his ticket to Louisville in Saturday’s GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. The Zayat homebred, winner of last term’s GI Del Mar Futurity and GI FrontRunner S., is the 1-2 morning-line favorite. The Arkansas Derby is the final major prep for the GI Kentucky Derby, carrying qualifying points of 100-40-20-10.
“He shipped well and has been doing great since he got there,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert commented. “We’re excited about the race and looking forward to it. We’re not thinking about the points. The main thing right now is to take one race at a time. Hopefully, he runs well and comes out of it well. Every time he runs we learn more and more about him.”
Baffert will already be represented by the likely favorite on the First Saturday in May after ‘TDN Rising Star’ Dortmund (Big Brown) remained perfect in last weekend’s GI Santa Anita Derby. American Pharoah, meanwhile, has posted two workouts since his Rebel romp, headed by a best-of-25 six-furlong move in 1:11 3/5 at Santa Anita Apr. 5.
“The odds are pretty short, but Dortmund’s were as well last week,” Baffert continued. “This time of year they’re starting to separate themselves from the rest. He’s exciting to watch and he deserves to be the favorite.”
Harry Rosenblum and Robert LaPenta’s Far Right (Notional) has been perfect in two attempts at three, winning both Oaklawn’s Smarty Jones S. Jan. 19 and GIII Southwest S. Feb. 22 in come-from-behind fashion. Trainer Ron Moquett decided to freshen his charge for the Arkansas Derby after bypassing the Rebel.
“Ready for action,” Moquett said. “He’s doing unbelievable, so I’m very happy with how he comes into the race.”
Madefromlucky (Lookin At Lucky) had a two-race winning streak snapped when a distant second behind American Pharoah after being forwardly placed in the Rebel.
“We’ll hope that someone goes out there with American Pharoah and keeps the pace honest,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Hopefully, a mile-and-an-eighth with help us. I think he wants to run farther and he’s already won at a mile and an eighth [in an allowance test at Gulfstream Park Feb. 4]. I just hope there’s an honest pace up front.”
Pletcher continued, “It’s pretty much it’s now or never to earn those Derby points. We’ve got to figure out the next step for him and where we belong, and this race should help us clarify that.”
Team Zayat will also be represented by Mr. Z (Malibu Moon), who wheels back on short rest after fading to finish last of nine in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 28. The chestnut, trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, was previously a model of consistency while suffering several heartbreaking defeats, including a second-place finish in the GIII Delta Downs Jackpot S. Nov. 22, third-place finish in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 20 and a third in the Southwest. The blinkers go back on for this.