Papa Clem runs down Old Fashioned in Arkansas Derby

Papa Clem overtook Old Fashioned to take the Arkansas Derby (Will Kenser/Coady Photogprahy)

Bo Hirsch's homebred PAPA CLEM (Smart Strike) caught even-money favorite and

pacesetter Old Fashioned (Unbridled's Song) in midstretch and out-battled his

rival to the finish line in Saturday's $1 million

Arkansas

Derby (G2). A maiden winner three starts back, Papa Clem entered the 1

1/8-mile event off a pair of seconds in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Robert B.

Lewis S. (G2), and the Gary Stute-trained colt continued to enhance his Kentucky

Derby (G1) credentials with the half-length decision. He stopped the teletimer

over the fast Oaklawn track in 1:49 with Rafael Bejarano.

Old Fashioned went right to the front and led by 2 1/2 lengths while rattling

off a quick opening quarter-mile in :22 3/5. Papa Clem broke well but settled

into a stalking trip approaching the clubhouse turn. He continued to bide his

time in fifth as the field headed down the backstretch, with Old Fashioned

maintaining a clear lead through splits of :46 and 1:11, and began to steadily

advance on the far turn. Papa Clem rolled into the stretch four wide and

collared the leader by the furlong pole, sticking a head in front through a mile

in 1:36 3/5, but Old Fashioned refused to quit on the inside. After being pushed

hard, Papa Clem edged clear in the final jumps.

Papa Clem made his case for the Ky Derby (Kurtis Coady/Coady Photogprahy)

Papa Clem broke his maiden when making his two-turn debut in his third

lifetime start on December 29 at Santa Anita and jumped straight to stakes

company, finishing second in the Robert B. Lewis, which has turned out to be

quite a key race for highly rated Kentucky Derby contenders. Lewis winner

Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker) went on to capture the Santa Anita Derby (G1),

and third-placer I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even) delivered the Wood Memorial

S. (G1) in dramatic fashion. Papa Clem has now earned $790,940 from a 6-2-2-0 line.

The Kentucky-bred winner is the second foal out of 2002 Del Mar Debutante

(G1) victress Miss Houdini (Belong to Me), who is also the dam of an unnamed

juvenile filly by Tiznow and a yearling filly by More Than Ready. The

nine-year-old dam is out of Grade 1 winner Magical Maiden (Lord Avie), an earner

of more than $900,000.