HOT SPRINGS - Oaklawn Park linemaker Russ Ramstad installed Tapiture as the 9-5 program favorite Wednesday for Saturday’s $1 million Grade I Arkansas Derby.
Probable post time for the 11/8-mile Arkansas Derby, a major Kentucky Derby prep race, is 6:07 p.m. It will be the 11th of 12 live races, with TVG and HRTV (on site) providing live coverage.
The infield will be open Saturday, the final day of the shortened 53-day meeting.
Tapiture, one of nine horses entered, is scheduled to break from post 3 under new rider Joel Rosario and carry equal top weight of 122 pounds under allowance conditions (non-stakes winners receive 4 pounds).
Also entered are Danza, Knock Em Flat, Ride On Curlin, Thundergram, Commissioner, Conquest Titan and Strong Mandate.
Knock Em Flat is also entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes. Thundergram will be racing with blinkers Saturday.
Ramstad made unbeaten Bayern the 2-1 second choice in the program. Bayern, who will make his stakes debut following two blowout victories in Southern California, is scheduled to break from post 8 under Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens.
“Just a question of how close I would make Bayern to Tapiture,” Ramstad said.“Can’t make them any closer than that. I was debating whether to make them 5-2 and 2-1.”
Program odds reflect how linemakers believe the race will be bet.
Ramstad said he decided to make Tapiture the favorite because of his stronger resume.
Tapiture won the $150,000Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in his final start at 2.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Tapiture won the $300,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes on Feb. 17 before running second in the $600,000 Grade II Rebel Stakes on March 20.
Ricardo Santana Jr. rode Tapiture in his past five starts, but Rosario won last year’s Kentucky Derby aboard Orb.
Bayern is exiting a front-running 15-length entry-level allowance victory Feb. 13 at Santa Anita near Los Angeles.
“Tapiture, to me, has all the advantages except for the speed,” Ramstad said. “But other than that, recency of racing goes to Tapiture, racing over the track, he has more experience. And the rider change could be beneficial. You’ve got to factor that.”
Bayern is trained by Hallof Famer Bob Baffert. Baffert won the 2012 Arkansas Derby with another lightly raced speedster, Bodemeister, who was making his fourth career start.
The Arkansas Derby offers 170 qualifying points toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby, with 100 going to the winner, 40 to second, 20 to third and 10 to fourth.
Points determine starting eligibility if more than the maximum 20 horses enter the race.
Sports, Pages 17 on 04/10/2014