Renegade blitzes rivals in Arkansas Derby

Renegade began to gather momentum on the final turn and blew past rivals in the stretch of the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park, confirming himself as a serious Kentucky Derby (G1) win contender with the four-length victory. Two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher trains the improving son of Into Mischief, and Irad Ortiz Jr. guided the even-money favorite.

As a major qualifier in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, the Arkansas Derby awarded points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the top five respective finishers.

Ortiz opted to ride Renegade over Commandment, winner of Saturday’s Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park, and Renegade promises to bring a strong closing kick to the Kentucky Derby. 

Owned by Repole Stable and breeders Robert & Lawana Low, Renegade was disqualified after finishing first in a maiden special weight the second time out last fall and concluded his juvenile season with a runner-up in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct. The bay colt broke his maiden when returning this year with a 3 3/4-length win in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs in early February, and Renegade continued to advance with an impressive showing in the Arkansas Derby.

Last of eight contestants through the opening half-mile, Renegade put away the field away with a powerful turn of foot into the stretch and drifted out toward the middle of the track while widening his advantage. He finished the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:49.70.

Southwest (G3) winner Silent Tactic, the 7-2 second choice following a close second most recently in the Rebel (G2), rallied for second, two lengths better than last-out maiden winner Taptastic in third. Bricklin, who raced up close to the pace, held fourth. Next came Blackout Time, pacesetter Redland Rebels, L:itmus Test, and Exosome.

A $975,000 yearling purchase, Renegade is the first foal to race from the Grade 3-winning Spice Is Nice, a daughter of Curlin. 

Earlier on the program, Doubledown Stables’ Nu What’s New determinedly recorded his first career stakes win in the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3), repelling the late bid East Avenue to score by three-quarters of a length. Luis Saez was up Jimmy DiVito on the four-year-old gelding, and Nu What’s New stopped the teletimer in 1:37.34.

Nu What’s New, the 19-10 favorite among seven runners, showed speed from the break, dueling with Awesome Aaron, and eventually turned back his rival near the conclusion of the far turn. East Avenue offered a menacing bid into the stretch, but Nu What’s New had enough in reserve, notching his third win in the last four starts.

By Munnings, Nu What’s New dropped his first five starts last year, recording a second and a pair of thirds, but turned things around at Oaklawn this winter, leading all the way to graduate convincingly over a mile in late December. Following a dominant entry-level allowance win six weeks later, Nu What’s New finished a respectable second in his stakes debut to Magnitude, winner of Saturday's $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1), in the Razorback H. (G3) on Feb. 28.

East Avenue held second by nearly a length over Neoequos. Grade 1 winner Full Serrano, the 2-1 second choice, rallied for fourth after being comprised by a stumbling start, and Will Take It, Gun Party, and Awesome Aaron followed.