Study Guide: 2025 Arkansas Derby

Mar 25, 2025 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Coal Battle wins the Springboard Mile at Remington Park. (Photo by Dustin Orona Photography)

With a $1.5 million purse and 100-50-25-15-10 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification points on the line, Saturday’s Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park is a pivotal stop on the road to Churchill Downs.

A strong nine-horse field has entered the 1 1/8-mile race. Five of the entrants have already earned Kentucky Derby (G1) qualification points, including the accomplished Coal Battle.

Let’s take a horse-by-horse tour through the entries:

Brereton’s Baytown

Start(s): 10
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Baytown Partnerships and Trawitzki Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Ehris Stables
Trainer: Paul McEntee
Jockey: Marshall Mendez

Top Speed Rating: (88) when winning a $40,000 claimer at Laurel Park.
Total Earnings: $85,773

Sire: Upstart
Dam: Kika
Color: Bay

With 10 starts under his belt, Brereton’s Baytown is the most experienced horse in the Arkansas Derby field. But he’ll need to improve upon his eighth-place finish in last month’s Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn to challenge against Saturday’s field.

First Division

Bestfriend Rocket (#2) wins against First Resort (#7) at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 1

Owner: Deann Baer, Brett Logan, and Bill Baxter
Breeder: Deann Baer and Greg Baer DVM
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (85) when finishing second in a $200,000 allowance optional claimer at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $79,800

Sire: Omaha Beach
Dam: Ice Women
Color: Bay

First Division hasn’t finished out of the top three in a trio of starts at Oaklawn, most recently finishing second by a head to Bestfriend Rocket in a $200,000 allowance optional claimer. But his career-best 85 Brisnet Speed rating looks a little light against the Arkansas Derby field.

Publisher

Publisher gets a work in a Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 6
Wins: 0
Place: 1
Show: 3

Owner: Gus King and Estate of Brereton C. Jones
Breeder: Brereton C. Jones
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Flavien Prat

Top Speed Rating: (93) when finishing fourth in the Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $137,756

Sire: American Pharoah
Dam: Indian Pride
Color: Bay

Although Publisher has yet to win a race, he gained ground through some traffic to finish a respectable fourth in the Rebel on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, beaten only 3 3/4 lengths. He’s adding blinkers for the Arkansas Derby and may improve for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who has won this race four times.

Bestfriend Rocket

Bestfriend Rocket (#2) wins against First Resort (#7) at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 6
Wins: 3
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Frank Fletcher Racing Operations
Breeder: My Meadowview
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Jockey: Nik Juarez

Top Speed Rating: (85) when winning a $200,000 allowance optional claimer at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $142,450

Sire: Curlin
Dam: Noble and a Beauty
Color: Chestnut

Bestfriend Rocket defeated First Division in a $200,000 allowance optional claimer at Oaklawn last month, but he’ll need better than his career-best 85 Brisnet Speed rating to conquer tougher competition on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Speed King

Speed King wins at Churchill Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Triton Thoroughbreds, Naber Racing, Bryan Hennigan, Doug Rapier, and Ron Micetic
Breeder: Nancy C. Shuford
Trainer: Ron Moquett
Jockey: Rafael Bejarano

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn.
Total Earnings: $700,250

Sire: Volatile
Dam: Athenian Beauty
Color: Gray/roan

Speed King seems to perform best when racing on the lead, as he did when wiring the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn two starts back. He was beaten to the front in a fast-paced edition of the Rebel and misfired with a 10th-place finish. There’s isn’t an overabundance of pace in the Arkansas Derby field, so if Speed King makes the lead, he may rebound.

Sandman

Sandman wins at Saratoga (Photo by Coglianese Photos / Credit Chelsea Durrand)

Start(s): 7
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 2

Owner: D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables
Breeder: Lothenbach Stables
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Top Speed Rating: (95) when finishing third in the Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $444,595

Sire: Tapit
Dam: Distorted Music
Color: Gray/roan

Sandman has run well in a couple of Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers at Oaklawn, rallying to finish second in the Southwest and third in the Rebel. This talented and consistent son of Tapit has a strong chance to close for another top-three finish in the Arkansas Derby.

Monet’s Magic

Monet's Magic wins at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 7
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Midway Racing 2023
Breeder: Theta Holdings 1
Trainer: Ben Colebrook
Jockey: Luan Machado

Top Speed Rating: (90) when winning a Churchill Downs maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $206,139

Sire: Good Magic
Dam: Rontos Lily
Color: Dark bay/brown

Monet’s Magic made his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut with a fifth-place finish against Speed King and Sandman in the Southwest. He’ll need a step forward to turn the tables.

Coal Battle

Start(s): 7
Wins: 5
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Norman Stables
Breeder: Hume Wornall and Jay Adcock
Trainer: Lonnie Briley
Jockey: Juan Vargas

Top Speed Rating: (98) when winning the Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $1,053,875

Sire: Coal Front
Dam: Wolfblade
Color: Dark bay/brown

Coal Battle has been a winning machine on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, taking the Remington Springboard Mile S., Smarty Jones S., and Rebel in succession. He’s versatile in terms of running style and brings sharp Brisnet Speed ratings to the Arkansas Derby, so there’s a good chance Coal Battle will secure yet another victory.

Cornucopian

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan
Breeder: Three Chimneys Farm and Whisper Hill Farm
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: John Velazquez

Top Speed Rating: (100) when winning an Oaklawn Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $66,000

Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Magical World
Color: Bay

Cornucopian was tons the best when debuting in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Oaklawn last month, leading all the way to win by 5 3/4 lengths. The powerful 100 Brisnet Speed rating he posted is the highest number in the Arkansas Derby field. Stretching out another three furlongs in distance is a question mark for Cornucopian, but it’s worth noting trainer Bob Baffert has won the Arkansas Derby a record-equaling five times. Cornucopian may be talented enough to handle the sharp step up in class and distance.