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The Arkansas Derby is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is currently a Grade I race run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt.
| Grade I race | |
| Location | Oaklawn Park Race Track Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1936 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred |
| Website | www |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-olds |
| Weight | Colt/Gelding: 126 lbs (57.2 kg) Filly: 121 lbs. (54.9 kg) |
| Purse | US$1,250,000 (2022) |
In 2004, to celebrate its 100th anniversary, Oaklawn Park offered a $5 million bonus to any horse that could sweep its three-year-old graded stakes, the Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby, and then take the Kentucky Derby. Smarty Jones's collected the bonus.[1] The exposure from Smarty Jones subsequent run at the Triple Crown helped increase participation from the top three-year-olds in the country to the point where the American Graded Stakes Committee made the Arkansas Derby a Grade I race in 2010.[2]
Past winners of the race have gone on to win legs of horse racing's Grand Slam. Sunny's Halo won the 1983 Kentucky Derby, as did Smarty Jones in 2004 and American Pharoah in 2015. Elocutionist (1976), Tank's Prospect (1985), Pine Bluff (1992), Smarty Jones (2004), Afleet Alex (2005), Curlin (2007), and American Pharoah (2015) all won the Preakness Stakes. 1980 winner Temperence Hill, 1998's Victory Gallop, 2005's Afleet Alex, and 2015's American Pharoah all went on to capture the Belmont Stakes, as did Creator in 2016. The 1994 winner, Concern, won that year's Breeders' Cup Classic.
The most celebrated Arkansas Derby champion is American Pharoah, who became the 12th Triple Crown winner and the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years.[3][4] He is the first Arkansas Derby champion to win the Triple Crown. Like Smarty Jones, he too swept the Rebel and Arkansas Derby before winning the Kentucky Derby. The 2021 Arkansas Derby champion is Super Stock.[5][6]
Prior to American Pharoah's 2015 Triple Crown, Curlin had been the most decorated Arkansas Derby Winner, after winning races that included the 2007 Preakness Stakes, the 2007 Breeders' Cup Classic, and the 2008 Dubai World Cup. For his efforts, Curlin won the Eclipse Award in both 2007 and 2008 for American Horse of the Year, the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Curlin was later admitted to thoroughbred racing's National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
The inaugural Arkansas Derby in 1936 offered a total purse of $5,000. The first winner was Holl Image, who was owned and trained by Jack Carter.
The race was run in two divisions in 1960, and again in 2020. The 2020 race was moved to May 2, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic,[7] as the Kentucky Derby had been moved to September. Both races will pay identical points towards Kentucky Derby eligibility.[8]
Speed record:
- 1:46.80 – Althea (1984)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 3 – Pat Day (1986, 1987, 1997)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 5 – Bob Baffert (2012, 2015, 2020 (twice), 2024)
- 5 – Todd A. Pletcher (2000, 2001, 2013, 2014, 2018)
Most wins by an owner:
- 3 – Loblolly Stable (1980, 1987, 1992)
| Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Distance |
Time |
Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Muth | Juan J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Zedan Racing | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.54 | I |
| 2023 | Angel of Empire | Flavien Prat | Brad H. Cox | Albaugh Family Stables | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.68 | I |
| 2022 | Cyberknife | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | Gold Square LLC | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.42 | I |
| 2021 | Super Stock | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | Erv Woolsey & Keith Asmussen | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.92 | I |
| 2020 (Div. 2) |
Nadal | Joel Rosario | Bob Baffert | Bolton, Hoyeau, Lipman, Mathiesen | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.34 | I |
| 2020 (Div. 1) |
Charlatan1 | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Fredrick Hertrich III, John Fielding, Golconda Stables | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.49 | I |
| 2019 | Omaha Beach | Mike E. Smith | Richard E. Mandella | Fox Hill Farms | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.91 | I |
| 2018 | Magnum Moon | Luis Saez | Todd A. Pletcher | Robert Low & Lawana Low | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.86 | I |
| 2017 | Classic Empire | Julien Leparoux | Mark E. Casse | John C. Oxley | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.93 | I |
| 2016 | Creator | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | WinStar Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.14 | I |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | Zayat Stables | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.52 | I |
| 2014 | Danza | Joe Bravo | Todd A. Pletcher | Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.68 | I |
| 2013 | Overanalyze | Rafael Bejarano | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.94 | I |
| 2012 | Bodemeister | Mike E. Smith | Bob Baffert | Zayat Stables | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.71 | I |
| 2011 | Archarcharch | Jon Court | William H. Fires | Robert Yagos & Loval Yagos | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.34 | I |
| 2010 | Line of David | Jon Court | John W. Sadler | Ike Trash & Dawn Thrash | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.37 | I |
| 2009 | Papa Clem | Rafael Bejarano | Gary Stute | Bo Hirsch | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.00 | II |
| 2008 | Gayego | Mike E. Smith | Paulo Lobo | Cubanacan Stables | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.63 | II |
| 2007 | Curlin | Robby Albarado | Steven M. Asmussen | Midnight Cry Stables & Stonestreet Stables | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.00 | II |
| 2006 | Lawyer Ron | John McKee | Robert E. Holthus | James T. Hines Jr. | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.38 | II |
| 2005 | Afleet Alex | Jeremy Rose | Tim Ritchey | Cash Is King Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.80 | II |
| 2004 | Smarty Jones | Stewart Elliott | John Servis | Roy & Patricia Chapman | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.41 | II |
| 2003 | Sir Cherokee | Terry J. Thompson | Michael Tomlinson | Domino Stud | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.39 | II |
| 2002 | Private Emblem | Donnie Meche | Steven M. Asmussen | James Cassels & Bob Zollars | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.20 | II |
| 2001 | Balto Star | Mark Guidry | Todd A. Pletcher | Anstu Stables | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.00 | II |
| 2000 | Graeme Hall | Robby Albarado | Todd A. Pletcher | Eugene Melnyk & Laura Melnyk | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.00 | II |
| 1999 | Certain2 | Kent Desormeaux | Leo Azpurua Jr. | B.& J.Williams | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.20 | II |
| 1998 | Victory Gallop | Alex Solis | W. Elliott Walden | Prestonwood Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.80 | II |
| 1997 | Crypto Star | Pat Day | Wayne Catalano | Darrell & Evelyn Yates | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.20 | II |
| 1996 | Zarb's Magic | Ronald Ardoin | W. Bret Thomas | Foxwood Plantation | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.20 | II |
| 1995 | Dazzling Falls | Garrett Gomez | Chuck Turco | Chateau Ridge Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.60 | II |
| 1994 | Concern | Garrett Gomez | Richard W. Small | Robert E. Meyerhoff | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.00 | II |
| 1993 | Rockamundo | Calvin Borel | Oris J. Glass Jr. | Gary & Mary West | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.00 | II |
| 1992 | Pine Bluff | Jerry D. Bailey | Thomas Bohannan | Loblolly Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.40 | II |
| 1991 | Olympio | Ed Delahoussaye | Ron McAnally | V.H.W. Stables | 1+1⁄8 | 1:47.60 | II |
| 1990 | Silver Ending | Gary Stevens | Ron McAnally | Ron McAnally & Angelo Costanzo | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.00 | II |
| 1989 | Dansil | Larry Snyder | Frank L. Brothers | John A. Franks | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.20 | II |
| 1988 | Proper Reality | Jerry D. Bailey | Robert E. Holthus | Mrs. James A. Winn | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.40 | I |
| 1987 | Demons Begone | Pat Day | Philip Hauswald | Loblolly Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:47.60 | I |
| 1986 | Rampage | Pat Day | Gary A. Thomas | Nancy Reed & John Reed | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.20 | I |
| 1985 | Tank's Prospect | Gary Stevens | D. Wayne Lukas | Eugene V. Klein | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.40 | I |
| 1984 | Althea | Pat Valenzuela | D. Wayne Lukas | Helen C. Alexander, David Aykroyd, & Helen Groves | 1+1⁄8 | 1:46.80 | I |
| 1983 | Sunny's Halo | Ed Delahoussaye | David C. Cross Jr. | David J. Foster | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.40 | I |
| 1982 | Hostage | Jeffrey Fell | Willard C. Freeman | Helen Hertz Hexter | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.60 | I |
| 1981 | Bold Ego | John Lively | Jack Van Berg | Double B. Ranch & Dr. Joseph Kidd | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.40 | I |
| 1980 | Temperence Hill | Darrell Haire | Joseph B. Cantey | Loblolly Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.60 | II |
| 1979 | Golden Act | Sandy Hawley | Loren Rettele | W. H. Oldknow & R. W. Phipps | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.00 | II |
| 1978 | Esops Foibles | Chris McCarron | Loren Rettele | Jerry Frankel | 1+1⁄8 | 1:52.20 | II |
| 1977 | Clev Er Tell | Ray Broussard | Homer C. Pardue | Joseph R. Straus Sr. & Izzie Proler | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.60 | II |
| 1976 | Elocutionist | John Lively | Paul T. Adwell | Eugene C. Cashman | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.20 | II |
| 1975 | Promised City | David E. Whited | Larry Spraker | Big I. Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.80 | II |
| 1974 | J.R.'s Pet | Darrel McHargue | Harold Tinker | W. Cal Partee | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.60 | II |
| 1973 | Impecunious | Jorge Velásquez | George R. Handy | Mrs. R. L. Feinberg | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.60 | II |
| 1972 | No Le Hace | Phil Rubbicco | Homer C. Pardue | Joseph W. Strauss | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.80 | |
| 1971 | Twist The Axe | Garth Patterson | George T. Poole | Pastorale Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.20 | |
| 1970 | Herbalist | Jimmy Nichols | Roy J. Gillem | Greentree Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.20 | |
| 1969 | Traffic Mark | Phil I. Grimm | Ronnie Warren | M/M Robert F. Roberts | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.60 | |
| 1968 | Nodouble | William McKeever | J. Bert Sonnier | Verna Lea Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.00 | |
| 1967 | Monitor | Jimmy Nichols | Harry Trotsek | Claiborne Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.60 | |
| 1966 | Better Sea | Johnny Sellers | Blaine Heap | Scottdale Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.20 | |
| 1965 | Swift Ruler | Larry Spraker | Gin L. Collins | Earl Allen | 1+1⁄8 | 1:52.20 | |
| 1964 | Prince Davelle | Charlie Burr | Douglas M. Davis Jr. | George M. Holtsinger | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.40 | |
| 1963 | Cosmic Tip | Robert Mundorf | E. Mahoney | River Divide Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.40 | |
| 1962 | Areopolis | Robert L. Baird | Harold Tinker | August Muckler | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.60 | |
| 1961 | Light Talk | Robert Nono | Steve Ippolito | Jacnot Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.20 | |
| 1960 | Spring Broker | Eugene Curry | Marion Van Berg | Marion Van Berg | 1+1⁄8 | 1:54.40 | |
| 1960 | Persian Gold | Jimmy Combest | Monte D. Parke | Jones-Tuckahoe Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:53.00 | |
| 1959 | Al Davelle | Ronnie Baldwin | Dan Howell | J.Smith, E.Moulder & J.Oldham | 1+1⁄8 | 1:48.80 | |
| 1958 | Count Deblanc | Johnny Sellers | Charles C. Norman | C. & J. Riedinger | 1+1⁄8 | 1:53.80 | |
| 1957 | Kentucky Roman | John Delahoussaye | Norman A. McMaster | R. Lowe | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.60 | |
| 1956 | Johns Chic | John L. Rotz | Logan Fischer | Mrs. E. Muckler | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.20 | |
| 1955 | Trim Destiny | Lois C. Cook | Cecil Locklear | G. White | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.60 | |
| 1954 | Timely Tip | Howard Craig | Reid Armstrong | A. L. Birch | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.80 | |
| 1953 | Curragh King | John H. Adams | James Wallace | E. Goemans | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.60 | |
| 1952 | Gushing Oil | Alfred Popara | Joe Jansen | Sam E. Wilson Jr | 1+1⁄8 | 1:49.20 | |
| 1951 | Ruhe | Job Dean Jessop | Robert McGarvey | Emil Denemark | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.00 | |
| 1950 | Big Ike | Harold Keene | Cecil Locklear | C. Buckley | 1+1⁄8 | 1:52.00 | |
| 1949 | Cacomo | Billie Fisk | A. Williams | Endovina & Kontos | 1+1⁄8 | 1:54.60 | |
| 1948 | Fertile Lands | Paul Glidewell | Marian Barton | Grissom & Sherman | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.00 | |
| 1947 | Fleetridge | Arthur Craig | Roy J. Gillem | Mrs. K. Maxwell | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.40 | |
| 1946 | Bob Murphy | Wendell Eads | Charles Sanborn | D. Ferguson | 1+1⁄8 | 1:51.80 | |
| 1945 | Race Not Ran | ||||||
| 1944 | Challenge Me | Anthony Skoronski | Dan Cataldo | Brolite Farm | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.20 | |
| 1943 | Seven Hearts | John H. Adams | W. Graves Sparks | Brown Hotel Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:52.20 | |
| 1942 | With Regards | Johnny Longden | T. D. Grimes | T. D. Grimes | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.00 | |
| 1941 | He Rolls | Preston Mills | Victor P. Noyes | Victor P. Noyes | 1+1⁄8 | 1:52.60 | |
| 1940 | Super Chief | Jack Richard | Dave Womeldorff | Mrs. Emil Denemark | 1+1⁄8 | 1:52.20 | |
| 1939 | Ariel Toy | Lee Hardy | Hugh W. Jackson | Hugh W. Jackson | 1+1⁄8 | 1:52.40 | |
| 1938 | Tiger | Alfred Robertson | Robert McGarvey | Milky Way Farm Stable | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.80 | |
| 1937 | Eastport | Ray Hightshoe | E. Russell | Mrs. V. Wyse | 1+1⁄8 | 1:50.80 | |
| 1936 | Holl Image | Herb Fisher | Jack Carter | Jack Carter | 1+1⁄8 | 1:53.40 | |
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