ARKANSAS DERBY : Lawyer Ron finds no basis for appeal
Posted on Thursday, April 13, 2006
HOT SPRINGS — It was another favorable ruling. Lawyer Ron drew post 5 for Saturday’s $ 1 million Grade II Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on Wednesday and was made the 7-5 favorite to notch his sixth consecutive victory. If there are no scratches, the 14-horse field will equal the largest for the Arkansas Derby since 17 horses competed in 1974.
1 The 1 / 8-mile race has drawn 14 starters four times since then — in 1975, 1983, 1986 and 2000. No other major Kentucky Derby prep race this year has had more than 12 starters. Only five horses ran in last week’s $ 750, 000 Grade I Santa Anita Derby in suburban Los Angeles.
Dan Liebman, executive editor of The Blood-Horse, a weekly industry magazine based in Lexington, Ky., said he is impressed with the quantity and quality of the Arkansas Derby field.
“Besides the obvious favorite in Lawyer Ron, the race drew some other very solid Triple Crown hopefuls,” Liebman said. “A full field in the race shows how important a prep the Arkansas Derby is.”
To the relief of trainer Bob Holthus, Lawyer Ron drew a spot that should be ideal for his versatile running style.
“I really didn’t want [post ] 1 and I sure didn’t want 14,” Holthus said. “I wanted him somewhere in the middle. I think he got an excellent post.”
Lawyer Ron’s stablemate, late-running Red Raymond, drew post 9.
Red Raymond also broke from post 9 in Oaklawn’s two major prep races for the Arkansas Derby — the $ 250, 000 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 25 and the $ 300, 000 Grade III Rebel Stakes on March 18.
Red Raymond finished third in the Southwest and second in the Rebel. Both races were won by Lawyer Ron.
“With Red Raymond, post position doesn’t matter a lot,” Holthus said. “I just hope he can get a clean trip when he’s ready to run.”
Private Vow, one of the country’s leading 2-year-olds, was made the 5-1 second choice in the program. In his 3-year-old debut, he finished seventh in the Rebel.
Assistant racing secretary Russ Ramstad said setting program odds for the 70 th Arkansas Derby was difficult — after Lawyer Ron and Private Vow.
“The ones that have distinguished themselves have done it in allowance company,” Ramstad said. “Everybody’s kind of the same. It’s very even once you get past a certain point.”
Establishing the favorite, of course, was easy.
Lawyer Ron will open the same as Smarty Jones did in 2004 and lower than Afleet Alex (2-1 ) last year.
Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex both won the Arkansas Derby before combining to capture two-thirds of the Triple Crown.
“Lawyer Ron’s been dominant and his last race [Rebel ] was impressive coming from off the pace,” Ramstad said. “That’s what you need to win a race like this.”
Ramstad, whose line reflects how he believes the public will bet, said he made Private Vow the second choice because he expects him to run better.
“Those are the two that I’m confident in that will get some action,” Ramstad said. “The rest are kind of …”
Ramstad made High Cotton the early 8-1 third choice.
High Cotton is coming off a front-running victory in the $ 100, 000 Rushaway Stakes on March 25 at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky and is trained by Todd Pletcher, whose horses always take money, Ramstad said.
Steppenwolfer, Jealous Profit and Sayhellotolarry are all 10-1 in the program, Red Raymond is 12-1 and With a City and Superfly are 15-1.
New Joysey Jeff, Nob Hill Deelite and Film Fortune are all 20-1 as part of the mutuel field, meaning they are treated as a single betting unit.
Oaklawn’s tote board only accommodates 12 wagering interests.
Post time for the Arkansas Derby, the ninth of 12 races on Oaklawn’s closing-day card, is 4: 47 p. m. It will be televised live by ABC.
First post Saturday is noon. Gates open at 10 a. m.
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