Arkansas Derby

A gray colt by leading sire Tapit romped in the $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 16 at Oaklawn Park, but it wasn’t the one so many racing fans expected.

Unlike the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes on March 19, when Cupid gamely scored on the front end at the Arkansas track, this time it was WinStar Farm’s Creator who stormed from last to first to win the final prep race for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands.

Creator was last of 12 on the backstretch, as many as 15 1/4 lengths back under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. while Gettysburg set swift quarter-mile fractions of :22.81, :46.33, and 1:10.61, with Cupid stalking in second.

Three lengths behind Cupid at the finish of the Rebel, Creator was much the best Saturday, finishing 1 1/4 lengths clear of fellow closer Suddenbreakingnews. Whitmore checked in third, another 1 1/2 lengths behind.

“He made a nice run in the end,” Santana said of Creator’s rally, three wide between horses on the final turn. “Last time, it was 14 horses. Today, it was 12 horses. [Trainer] Steve Asmussen told me to be patient, be patient, because you’re going to have a lot of horse. It worked out really good. I hope I have the same trip in the Kentucky Derby.”

Sent off at 11.60-1 odds, Creator, who also rallied from last to finish third in the Rebel, paid $25.20, $8.60, and $5 across the board. Suddenbreakingnews brought $6 to place and $4 to show, and Whitmore paid $3.80 to show.

“Ricardo has a ton of confidence in the horse and I’m glad to see him rewarded for how much he believed in the horse. ... His race in the Rebel was good and we felt like he came out of it good,” Asmussen said. “He had a little break and came out for the Arkansas Derby training great. I am very proud of the outcome today.”

WinStar CEO Elliott Walden said Creator is the first horse his Lexington-based operation has sent to Asmussen.

“Steve has had a lot of confidence in this horse from the start,” he said. “He’s been a very high strung horse in the beginning. I liked what Steve had done with some of the Tapits he’s had in the past. So that’s why we sent Creator to him. ... I love his style. I love the way he’s been brought along. I think, based on today’s performance, that he would have a very good [Kentucky Derby] chance.”

Cupid, heavily favored at 4-5, appeared to be in trouble when jockey Martin Garcia needed to encourage him on the final turn. Cupid tired to finish 10th, 11 1/4 lengths behind the winner. Dazzling Gem closed to pick up fourth, followed by Gettysburg and Discreetness.

“We were done early, basically,” said Jimmy Barns, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, who conditions Cupid. “I think the fractions probably took a toll on us, but that’s racing. I know Martin wanted to get him in the clear, which he did. But unfortunately he got in the clear and they were rolling right along.”

Baffert said Cupid will continue on to Churchill Downs, as was planned before the Arkansas Derby. There, the trainer said, he will “wait and see” whether to run the speedster, who ranks 13th on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard, in the distance race. His decision impacts No. 21 horse Mo Tom, who is now on the outside looking in.

For an Equibase chart, click here.