Coal Battle, Cornucopian highlight nine in Arkansas Derby; Quietside, Simply Joking square off in Fantasy

Rebel (G2) winner Coal Battle is the most accomplished of nine runners in Saturday’s $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1), but Cornucopian has been installed as the 7-5 morning line favorite for Bob Baffert off a brilliant debut win over six furlongs over the Oaklawn Park track. 

The top five finishers will receive points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis toward a Kentucky Derby (G1) berth in the major qualifier.

One race earlier on the program, Honeybee (G3) winner Quietside and Silverbulletday winner Simply Joking are among 10 three-year-old fillies who will compete for Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points on the same scale in the 1 1/16-mile Fantasy.

A $1.1 million yearling purchase, Cornucopian made his first start on the Feb. 23 Rebel undercard at Oaklawn and displayed high speed from the gate, dueling through hot fractions before drawing off to a 5 3/4-length decision. The Into Mischief colt will pick up the services of John Velazquez.

Coal Battle will bring a four-race stakes-winning streak to the 1 1/8-mile race. Trained by Lonnie Briley, the dark bay colt opened the year with a four-length score in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn and rallied from midpack to take the Rebel going away by more than a length. The son of Coal Front is listed as the 7-2 third choice with regular rider Juan Vargas.

Sandman has been pegged at 3-1 following a pair of troubled outings, finishing third in the Rebel and second in the Southwest (G3), and Jose Ortiz will over the reins on the late-running son of Tapit for Mark Casse.

Other runners include Southwest winner Speed King, who will try to rebound after weakening to 10th in the Arkansas Derby; Bestfriend Rocket and First Division, 1-2 in a recent Oaklawn allowance; and Rebel fourth Publisher.

In the $750,000 Fantasy, Simply Joking invades from Fair Grounds with a 2-for-2 record for Whit Beckman. The Practical Joke filly overcame a slow start to win the six-furlong Letellier Memorial by a neck at first asking, and Simply Joking stretched to two turns in the Jan. 18 Silverbulletday with a 2 1/2-length frontrunning score. Jamie Torres will accompany the early 8-5 favorite.

Quietside comes next on the morning line at 2-1 after breaking through with a one-length triumph in the Honeybee on Feb. 23. The John Ortiz-trained daughter of Malibu Moon had placed in four previous stakes attempts, including a pair of Grade 1 races, and Quietside appears to be coming on at the right time. Jose Ortiz guides the early/presser.

Mount Washington winner Take Charge Milady will look to bounce back after a troubled 10th in the Honeybee. Princess Aliyah, a sharp last-out maiden winner for D. Wayne Lukas, and Honeybee fourth Necessity are also entered.