Reincarnate tabbed as slight favorite in 11-strong Arkansas Derby

Santa Anita shipper Reincarnate has been tabbed as the slight 5-2 favorite on the morning line, but Red Route One (3-1), Florida invader Rocket Can (4-1), and Fair Grounds-based Angel of Empire (9-2) all have credentials. As that summary suggests, formlines from different circuits will converge in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Here are five talking points for the Arkansas Derby, the 12th race at 7:24 p.m. (ET):

1. Reincarnate wants a better trip than he got in the Rebel.

Reincarnate is favored in the Arkansas Derby primarily because of how well he performed in his previous visit to Oaklawn for the Feb. 25 Rebel (G2), despite a terrible trip. After early trouble that put him far out of position, the Tim Yakteen trainee then got shut off by fifth-placer Bourbon Bash just as he was rallying in midstretch. The son of champion Good Magic still managed an eye-catching third. 

The Rebel forced Reincarnate to deal with entirely unfamiliar circumstances. He had never raced on a sloppy track, or tried to come from the back of the pack before. In all of his starts in Southern California, Reincarnate had been involved with the pace, or stalking. Hence the hypothesis is that if he had enjoyed his normal trip, he might have won the Rebel. After all, Reincarnate had scored a gutsy victory on the front end in the Jan. 8 Sham (G3) at Santa Anita.

2. Red Route One could make a breakthrough with blinkers and added distance.

Although yet to win a stakes, Red Route One is consistently closing well for minor awards. The step up to 1 1/8 miles, plus the addition of blinkers, could set the stage for a breakthrough. By Horse of the Year Gun Runner and out of a full sister to champion Untapable, he shares their connections as a Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred trained by Steve Asmussen. Hall of Famer Asmussen has won the Arkansas Derby four times.

Red Route One was third to champion Forte in last fall’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1), a traffic-stymied fourth in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2), and second in the past two scoring races at Oaklawn. Best of the rest behind undefeated (and now sidelined) Arabian Knight in the Southwest (G3), Red Route One was only a length off Confidence Game in the Rebel. A sunny forecast, meaning a fast track, should help too.

3. Rocket Can has placed to Forte and Confidence Game.

Rocket Can represents an Arkansas-based owner, Frank Fletcher Racing Operations, but he brings noteworthy formlines from Kentucky and Florida. 

The Bill Mott pupil was a close second, to eventual Rebel winner Confidence Game, in an allowance on the “Stars of Tomorrow II” card at Churchill Downs. At Gulfstream Park this winter, Rocket Can overcame a wide trip to win the Holy Bull (G3) and most recently finished runner-up to Forte in the Fountain of Youth (G2). 

4. Angel of Empire boasts a win at this distance in the Risen Star.

One of Brad Cox’s army of talented three-year-olds, Angel of Empire is the only entrant with a win at this distance. Moreover, that came in another high-profile Derby prep, the Feb. 18 Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds, where he got a rollicking pace to set up his late kick. 

Among those burned up in the Risen Star pace was Harlocap, who tired to sixth, but could turn the page here. A stablemate of Red Route One’s from the Asmussen barn, Harlocap is from the first crop of 2018 Triple Crown star Justify and out of a mare by 2012 Arkansas Derby romper Bodemeister.

Angel of Empire, by 2017 Arkansas Derby champion Classic Empire, also has experience at Oaklawn. Two starts back, he was a rallying second to loose-on-the-lead stablemate Victory Formation in the Smarty Jones S. Angel of Empire will try to give Cox another Arkansas Derby win, after Cyberknife in 2022.

5. Two Eagles River and Airtime beat horses who ran well in the Louisiana Derby.

Two Eagles River and Airtime are coming off Oaklawn allowance wins over favored rivals from the Asmussen barn. The Chris Hartman-trained Two Eagles River toppled Disarm, and Airtime beat Shoppers Revenge to go 2-for-2 since being claimed by Robertino Diodoro. Disarm came back to finish a fine second in the Louisiana Derby (G2), where Shopper’s Revenge was fourth. 

Recent Oaklawn maiden winners Interlock Empire and King Russell are taking a class hike for Ken McPeek and Ron Moquett, respectively. Interlock Empire, another by Classic Empire, is out of a daughter of Hall of Famer Curlin, the 2007 Arkansas Derby hero. King Russell’s dam (mother) is a full sister to the 2012 Kentucky Oaks (G1) victress, Believe You Can. Kolomio makes his Oaklawn debut after being claimed out of a Santa Anita turf race by Keith Desormeaux – trainer of Kentucky Derby contender Confidence Game, who is passing on the Arkansas Derby.