Baffert seeks second Arkansas Derby score with War Academy

Hall of Fame conditioner Bob Baffert has dominated Oaklawn Park's series of

graded preps for the Kentucky Derby, winning the Southwest, Rebel and Arkansas

Derby a combined eight times since 2010. He will again be a major factor in

Saturday's renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million

Arkansas

Derby, saddling War Academy and Den's Legacy for the 1 1/8-mile fixture that

highlights a blockbuster closing day program at the Hot Springs, Arkansas,

course.

There a couple similarities between War Academy and the Baffert-trained

Bodemeister, who romped by 9 1/2 lengths in last year's Arkansas Derby en route

to runner-up efforts in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Like Bodemeister, War

Academy enters Saturday's race with just three previous starts to his credit and

will be piloted by Mike Smith. Unlike the free-running Bodemeister, War Academy

has from the beginning shown an ability to rate. That was evident in both his

debut victory at Hollywood Park in November and in an allowance victory at Santa

Anita last month. In between those two scores was a fourth-place finish in the

seven-furlong San Vicente, a race War Academy might have needed following a

three-month absence.

Den's Legacy is more comparable to Baffert's dual classic winner Real Quiet,

who also entered his final Kentucky Derby prep in 1998 a veteran of 11 starts.

Den's Legacy is less accomplished than Real Quiet was at this point in the

season, but has proven to be a consistent check earner. Following a victory in

the Generous on turf in his juvenile finale, Den's Legacy has started the year

off with seconds in the Sham and Robert B. Lewis, and a third in his first

attempt over the Oaklawn strip in the March 16 Rebel.

The resurgent D. Wayne Lukas barn will be represented in the Arkansas Derby

by Oxbow, who missed by a head to stablemate Will Take Charge in the Rebel after

leading through most of the stretch. The Awesome Again colt was a dominating 11

1/2-length hero of the Lecomte at Fair Grounds in January, and then was a close

fourth in the Risen Star over the same track before the Rebel.

Overanalyze, who gave owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher victories

last season in the Remsen at Aqueduct and the Futurity at Belmont Park, will

attempt to rebound off a disappointing effort in the March 2 Gotham at the Big

A. Favored at 8-5 but drawn outside in post 11 in that 1 1/16-mile affair on the

inner dirt, Overanalyze was hung wide around both turns and failed to muster a

rally in a fifth-place effort.

"Overanalyze seems to have moved forward in his training since the Gotham,"

Pletcher said. "We expect improvement in his second start after the layoff.

(Jockey) Rafael (Bejarano) has had a lot of success at Oaklawn Park and we were

lucky to get him on short notice."

John Velazquez, the regular rider for Overanalyze, is presently sidelined due

to injuries suffered in a spill at Aqueduct last weekend.

Falling Sky will attempt to stretch his speed nine furlongs for the first

time Saturday. The wire-to-wire winner of the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs

two back, the Lion Heart colt could not contain the unbeaten Verrazano going 1

1/16 miles in last month's Tampa Bay Derby, finishing 7 1/4 lengths third to the

subsequent Wood Memorial winner.

Frac Daddy finished up the track in both the Holy Bull and Florida Derby

earlier this year, failing to show progress off a solid second-place finish in

last November's Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs. Texas Bling, meanwhile,

failed to seriously threaten in either the Southwest and Rebel following a

near-miss second in the January 21 Smarty Jones.

The Arkansas Derby field is completed by stakes victor Heaven's Runaway, a

distant third in the Southwest last time; multiple stakes-placed Divine

Ambition, who was cross-entered in Saturday's Blue Grass at Keeneland; and

allowance winner Carve.

Ten three-year-olds with less lofty ambitions will contest the $100,000

Northern

Spur, a one mile event, earlier in the card.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com