Best Horse Racing Bets Today | Oaklawn Park

With only five weeks to go until the 2025 Kentucky Derby, the biggest prep races are set to be run on the next two weekends. On Saturday, we have the Florida Derby from Gulfstream Park and the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. I will focus my attention on Arkansas and the signature race at the Hot Springs oval. The $1.5 million, Grade 1 affair has attracted a field of nine sophomore males and all eyes will be on trainer Bob Baffert and his upstart colt Cornucopian.

Other highlights of the afternoon include the prep which produced the Kentucky Oaks winner last year, the $750,000, Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes. The unbeaten Simply Joking is the morning line favorite in that one. I will also handicap a pair of interesting races for the older males, including the $500,000, Grade 3 Oaklawn Mile. Without further ado, let's get to my analysis, top picks, and suggested wagers for this excellent day of racing from Oaklawn Park.

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Race #8 Oaklawn Mile (Grade 3) $500,000 1-mile dirt- 4:17pm EST

After fading to fifth in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1), Saudi Crown will look to return to his winning ways against a little easier competition when he headlines Saturday’s $500,000 Oaklawn Mile.

Trained by Brad Cox, the 5-year-old son of Always Dreaming became a Grade 1 winner early in his career in the Pennsylvania Derby. Saudi Crown hasn’t quite lived up to that performance in his biggest tests since, but has proved very effective at this level. A speed horse, he should have some company on the front end which could make his task on Saturday a little more difficult.

The second choice on the morning line is Banishing. He also has plenty of early speed and has been very good since going to the barn of David Jacobson. He has won four of his last six races and comes into this test off a sharp second over the track in the Grade 3 Razorback.

Other interesting horses in the field include a pair of horses who competed in last year’s Triple Crown series. Of the two The Wine Steward has better recent form than Just Steel, but both could be ready to prove that they belong in graded stakes racing once again. As the class of the race, however, Saudi Crown will be my top pick.

My Plays

• $10 Exacta Part Wheel - Saudi Crown over The Wine Steward and Just Steel = $20

• $5 Exacta Box - Saudi Crown, The Wine Steward, and Just Steel = $30

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Race #11 American Pharoah Overnight Stakes $145,000 1 1/16-miles dirt- 6:12pm EST

Fresh off a pair of solid efforts in graded company at Fair Grounds, Maycocks Bay has been installed as a tepid morning line favorite against nine other older males in the $145,000 American Pharoah Overnight Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.

He is only one of the horses in this wide-open race that could go favored, however, as Bishops Bay, Bendoog, and Honor Marie all figure to get plenty of wagering support. Given his solid recent form in his three races after a long layoff, Maycocks Bay is one of the horses in the race with the best chance to win. Similarly, the talented Bishops Bay has come back with three good efforts since a long layoff, and his last race was a sharp win over the track.

As for the third and fourth choice on the morning line, Bendoog has been knocking on the door with three consecutive second-place finishes. He might be a better option to play underneath in the exotics here. Honor Marie, meanwhile, is a real wildcard. The runner-up in last year’s $1 million Louisiana Derby has not run since a poor performance in last year’s Grade 1 Travers. He has class, but it’s hard to know if the late runner will be at his best in his first race back.

Several others in the field cannot be dismissed here, and the one that I find most interesting is Liberal Arts. A longshot on the morning line, he has come back from a layoff to run well three straight times for trainer Brad Cox. Bothered in his last one at the start, I think he can do better than that third-place effort in the Fifth Season Stakes. He will be my top pick.

My Play

• $10 Daily Double Part Wheel - Liberal Arts, Bishops Bay, and Maycocks Bay with Quietside = $30

• $5 Daily Double Part Wheel - Liberal Arts and Bishops Bay with Quietside, Simply Joking, and Take Charge Milady = $30

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Race #12 Fantasy Stakes (Grade 2) $750,000 1 1/16-miles dirt- 7:02pm EST

Last year, Thorpedo Anna romped home in the Fantasy Stakes on her way to wins in the Kentucky Oaks, Breeders’ Cup Distaff, and a Horse of the Year title. While extremely unlikely to happen again, Simply Joking and Quietside could be fillies to watch at Churchill Downs with a good performance here on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

A daughter of Practical Joke, Simply Joking has started only twice and both came in stakes races. Her debut victory last December in a stakes race at Fair Grounds tipped off her talent, and she did not disappoint when stretched out four weeks later to win at the same track in the Silverbulletday Stakes. With speed and talent, she is a deserving morning line favorite.

On the other hand, Quietside has already faced top competition on several occasions in her six-race career. The Malibu Moon filly is not only consistent and well-tested, but she comes into this one off a sharp victory over the track. That win in the Honeybee came over several good fillies. Working well since, she should account herself well in the Fantasy.

Of the rest, Take Charge Milady deserves another chance after a rough trip in the Honeybee. Before that she won two straight impressively at Oaklawn Park, including a win over Quietside in the Martha Washington Stakes. Overall, however, I like the win over the track in the Honeybee too much to ignore. Quietside is my top pick.

My Plays 

• $10 Exacta Part Wheel - Quietside over Simply Joking and Take Charge Milady  = $20

• $5 Daily Double Part Wheel - Quietside, Simply Joking, and Take Charge Milady with Coal Front and Sandman = $30

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Race #13 Arkansas Derby (Grade 1) $1,500,000 1 1/8-miles dirt- 7:48pm EST

An impressive winner of his only start, Cornucopian has been tabbed as a big favorite to win Saturday’s $1.5 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on his way to the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May.

Trained by Bob Baffert, the son of Into Mischief was purchased for $1.1 million as a yearling. He debuted at Oaklawn Park five weeks ago and romped against maiden competition while running a very fast 6 furlongs. Wasting no time in hopes of qualifying for the Kentucky Derby, he will stretch out in distance on Saturday while moving into Grade 1 company. It will be a test, and as the favorite, I am willing to take a swing against him here.

The second choice on the morning line is the late-running Sandman, who rallied into the money in both the Southwest and Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. A winner of an allowance race over the track as well, his ability to gain ground in the stretch should do well as the distances increase. A fast pace will help his chances as he goes 9 furlongs for the first time on Saturday.

Still a bit disrespected by the oddsmaker is Coal Battle. He has not lost any of his five dirt starts and he was a pretty convincing winner of the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes last month. The son of Coal Front is also a versatile runner, who can win from any position early. I picked him in the Rebel, and I am not getting off of him now. Coal Battle is my top pick.

My Play

• $5 Trifecta Part Wheel - Coal Battle and Sandman over Coal Battle, Sandman, Publisher, and Cornucopian = $60

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