Arkansas Derby Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2023 Arkansas Derby Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2023 Arkansas Derby is set for April 1 at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Arkansas Derby Preview
- Race: Arkansas Derby
- Purse: $1.25 million
- Track: Oaklawn Park
- Date: April 1
- Post Time: 7:24 PM (ET)
- Live: Arkansas Derby Odds: Click Here
2023 Arkansas Derby Racebooks / Betting Apps We Like!
Before we can give you our expert 2023 Arkansas Derby free pick, we have to break down the entries! In fact, we’d love to hear from you after you’ve given this post a read to see if you see an angle that we don’t!
2023 Arkansas Derby Handicapping
We’re just over a month away from the 2023 Kentucky Derby and the race for Derby qualifying points is reaching a climax, with all the final qualifying races taking place over the next two weeks.
That includes this Saturday’s Arkansas Derby, which will award qualifying points on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale to the top five finishers. Unlike the Florida Derby that goes on the same day and will have a very heavy favourite in Forte, the Arkansas has drawn a very wide-open field with several having a legitimate shot to win.
Eleven runners are expected to go to the gate, and they’ll be racing 1 1/8 miles on the Oaklawn dirt.
Odds listed here are provided by the Oaklawn track oddsmaker.
2023 Arkansas Derby Free Pick & Handicapping: Reincarnate Race Odds: 5-2
Shipping in last race to run third in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn, Reincarnate began his career with five consecutive starts in Southern California.
He won two of those, including the (G3) Sham Stakes, and has never been out of the money in all six of his lifetime starts, finishing as runner-up three times. Last out in the Rebel he scored a 100 Equibase speed figure, the second consecutive race he has hit triple-digits on the Equibase scale.
The trainer is Tim Yankteen and John Velazquez will be in the irons.
2023 Arkansas Derby Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Red Route One Race Odds: 3-1
Several of the runners here are coming out of the Rebel Stakes, including Red Route One, who finished second there, just ahead of rival Reincarnate.
That was his second consecutive runner up finish in the Oaklawn preps, as he had previously grabbed the place money in the (G3) Risen Star. Nevertheless despite that success he has been win-shy in his career with only a maiden victory in seven starts.
That being said, he’s a dead closer and should get some pace to run at here.
Trainer Steve Asmussen has won the Arkansas four times. Tyler Gaffalione will ride.
Rocket Can Race Odds: 4-1
Making his Oaklawn debut, Rocket Can has been in the Derby trail races in Florida, where he won the (G3) Holy Bull Stakes and ran second in the (G2) Fountain of Youth. By running here he avoids another tussle with with the formidable Forte at Gulfstream.
After getting off to a slow start to his career in Saratoga last summer, he picked up a maiden win in October at Churchill Downs and has been first or second in three other races since. He needs to find a bit more speed, as unlike the top two he has yet to hit a 100 Equibase figure, although he did get a 99 last out.
He’s trained by Bill Mott, with Junior Alvarado getting the call to ride.
Angel Of Empire Race Odds: 9-2
Pennsylvania-bred Angel Of Empire comes in off an upset win in the (G2) Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, where he went off at odds of 13-1. It’s important to note the third-place finisher that race came back last weekend to win the Jeff Ruby Stakes at Turfway Park.
Prior to the Risen Star he ran second in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn. Sire Classic Empire won the 2017 Arkansas and then ran fourth in the Kentucky Derby and second in the Preakness Stakes that year.
Brad Cox was the winning trainer of the race last year. Flavien Prat will be the jock.
Here’s My 2023 Arkansas Derby Free Pick.
This should be a very good race, and any one of the four listed here has a legitimate shot to win, There’s enough early speed signed on to produce an honest pace up front, and so pace and jockey tactics will come into play.
I think the horse that can work out the best stalking trip will have the best chance at it, and with that in mind I’ll take Rocket Can to hit the wire first. I liked his race in the Fountain Of Youth – I never expected him to beat Forte – and I think the speed and shape of that race sets him up perfectly for this one.
Full Field: 2023 Arkansas Derby Odds
By post position
- #1 – Bourbon Bash 15-1
- #2 – Interlock Empire 20-1
- #3 – Harlocap 15-1
- #4 – Two Eagles River 10-1
- #5 – Airtime 15-1
- #6 – Angel Of Empire 9-2
- #7 – Rocket Can 4-1
- #8 – Reincarnate 5-2
- #9 – King Russell 30-1
- #10 – Red Route One 3-1
- #11 – Kolomio 30-1
Arkansas Derby Tweet Of The Day
Join us Saturday morning for Dawn at Oaklawn as Nancy Holthus sits down with Track Announcer Jim Byers to discuss the Arkansas Derby card. The interview will take place at 8AM on the south apron☀️ 🐎
(*If it is raining, the interview will be moved indoors to the grandstands) pic.twitter.com/qsEeStw2xM— Oaklawn Hot Springs (@OaklawnRacing) March 31, 2023
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