It wasn’t the Kentucky Derby (G1) that was held on the first Saturday in May, but two divisions of the Arkansas Derby (G1) and a ‘virtual’ Triple Crown Showdown (see video below) brought thousands of horse racing-starved fans together May 2. The COVID-19 pandemic has ground horse racing to halt in most jurisdictions in North America, but Oaklawn Park kept going, without spectators, and completed its 2020 season with 14 races on ‘Derby’ day.
Wagering was stunning, close to $41 million, surpassing a previous record of $16 million bet on a single card at Oaklawn.
All that may have been new to what is usually a thrilling Kentucky Derby week, but what wasn’t new was that trainer Bob Baffert sent out two hotshot 3-year-olds to win both Arkansas Derby splits, leaving the trainer holding aces for the Kentucky Derby, now to be held on Sept. 5.
CHARLATAN, now 3 for 3, led all the way to win his division for an ownership group that includes Toronto’s JOHN FIELDING.
Fielding, a leading Standardbred owner who has expanded his Thoroughbred ownership presence in the last year, watched the race from the Bahamas where he has been waiting out the COVID-19 pandemic.
Charlatan (Speightstown – Authenticity by Quiet American) set fractions of 22.88, 46.08, 1:09.68 1:35.33 1:48.49 and won by six lengths, paying $2.80 for the win. Basin chased Charlatan all the way and that Liam’s Map colt ended up second.
Charlatan’s full ownership group is SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables, Fredrick Hertrich III, Fielding and Golconda Stables and he earned 100 points toward Kentucky Derby eligibility, putting him fourth on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard.
The colt raced in different silks than he did in his first two races with jockey Martin Garcia sporting the Madaket silks for that race.
Charlatan was born on March 2, 2017 and was bred by co-owner Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC in Kentucky.
The colt, like stablemate Nadal who won the second division of the Arkansas Derby, cost $700,000 and he was bought at the Keeneland September yearling sale.
NADAL, named for the famous tennis player Rafael Nadal, is 4-for-4 for owners George Bolton, Arthur Hoyeau, Barry Lipman and Mark Mathiesen. The son of Blame – Ascending Angel by Pulpit, a $700,000 March purchase at the Ocala juvenile sale, was coming off wins in the Grade San Vincente and Rebel Stakes with Joel Rosario up.
Nadal tracked the speedy Wells Bayou (winner of the Louisiana Derby), took over inside the quarter pole and surged clear for a three-length win, paying $3.80. King Guillermo, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby, had a good trip and was up for second.
Nadal chased splits of of :23.08, 46.21, 1:09.85 1:35.63 and his final time was slightly quicker at 1:48.34 but with slower early splits.
Trainer Bob Baffert said, “Very exciting day, to say the least. I thought both horses were going to run really well. Charlatan, what a talent he is and how fast he is. I just loved the way, third out, to ship and to do that, what he did today – only the really good ones can do that. And Nadal, he came out of that race (Rebel) … he’s a tough horse. There’s a lot to him and he’s a cool customer and I could see he’s getting better and better.”
The VIRTUAL TRIPLE CROWN SHOWDOWN, put on by Churchill Downs and aired on NBC in a special on the Kentucky Derby, pitted the 13 Triple Crown winners in a computer-generated race. Donations to COVID-19 relief were taken as fans selected their winner. Did you see our post in the race – our selections ran 1-2-3!
Videos below of the Arkansas Derbys and Virtual Triple Crown showdown.
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