Arkansas Derby Day at Oaklawn: The Road to the Kentucky Derby Runs Through Hot Springs
The Road to the Kentucky Derby doesn't get much hotter than this. Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, hosts its biggest weekend of the season on March 27–28, 2026, with more than $2.4 million in stakes purses spread across five races. At the center of it all is Saturday's $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) — one of the most influential Kentucky Derby qualifying races on the calendar and a race with a track record of producing genuine champions.
Whether you're locking in a trifecta, shopping for win/place/show value, or building a Pick 4 ticket across the biggest races of the weekend, here's everything you need to know.
Friday, March 27 — The Fantasy (G2) and the Road to the Kentucky Oaks
First post Friday is 1:30 p.m. ET, and while the spotlight on Saturday tends to dominate the conversation, Friday's card is well worth your attention.
The headliner is the $1,000,000 Fantasy Stakes (G2), Oaklawn's final qualifying race for the 152nd Kentucky Oaks. Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Fantasy distributes 200 total points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis, meaning a significant chunk of the Oaks picture gets decided right here. Also on the card: the $250,000 Matron Stakes.
Fantasy Stakes (G2) — field from the rail:
Search Party (Cristian Torres)
Empath (Ramon Vazquez)
Counting Stars (Francisco Arrieta)
Taken by the Wind (Emmanuel Esquivel)
Sticker Shock (Irad Ortiz Jr.)
Explora (Flavien Prat)
With 100 points going to the winner and the Kentucky Oaks starting gate on the line, expect this to be run hard from the jump. Study the morning line carefully — a competitive pace scenario could set up nicely for a closer with the stamina to get the trip.
Saturday, March 28 — Arkansas Derby Day
First post Saturday is 12:35 p.m. ET. The undercard alone makes it a full day of serious wagering, with the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3), the $200,000 Temperance Hill, and the $135,000 American Pharoah Overnight Stakes all on the program before the main event fires in the evening.
The $1.5 Million Arkansas Derby (G1)
This is what the Road to the Kentucky Derby has been building toward at Oaklawn all winter. The Arkansas Derby is the track's fourth and final Kentucky Derby qualifying race, distributing 200 total points — 100-50-25-15-10 — to the top five finishers. One hundred points to the winner. That's a season-defining number, and the horses in this field know the stakes.
The race has produced some of the sport's all-time greats. American Pharoah won here in 2015 on the way to the Triple Crown. Curlin in 2007. Smarty Jones in 2004. Last year, Sandman gave trainer Mark Casse back-to-back wins in the race. The history is real, and so is the pressure on Saturday's field.
Arkansas Derby (G1) — field from the rail:
Redland Rebels — trainer Patrick Biancone / jockey Keith Asmussen (15-1)
Silent Tactic — trainer Mark Casse / jockey Cristian Torres (5-2)
Blackout Time — trainer Kenny McPeek / jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. (6-1)
Bricklin — trainer Rodolphe Brisset / jockey Jaime Torres
Taptastic — trainer Steve Asmussen / jockey Erik Asmussen (20-1)
Renegade — trainer Todd Pletcher / jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (3-2)
Litmus Test — trainer Bob Baffert / jockey Francisco Arrieta (5-1)
Horse-by-Horse Breakdown
Renegade (3-2 — Morning-line favorite)
The one to beat. Todd Pletcher's Into Mischief colt was dominant in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, winning by 3¾ lengths and posting a sharp 97 Brisnet Speed Figure. Third-place finisher from that race, The Puma, came back to win the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), which does nothing but enhance Renegade's form. Champion jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. turned down a mount in the Florida Derby to stay aboard — that's a telling commitment from one of the best riders in the country. Pletcher is tied for the most Arkansas Derby wins all-time with five and is chasing a record-breaking sixth. The knock? He'll be hammered at 3-2 and possibly shorter by post time, which squeezes the value hard on a horse who still has questions to answer at 1 1/8 miles.
Silent Tactic (5-2)
The iron horse of Oaklawn's prep series. Mark Casse's Tacitus colt is the only horse in the field to have competed in all four Oaklawn Kentucky Derby qualifying races, bookending wins in the Southwest (G3) around runner-up finishes in the Smarty Jones and the Rebel. He was beaten by a nose in the Rebel last time out — there's no disgrace in that result and no real excuse to find. Cristian Torres, who has been aboard for every Oaklawn start, stays in the irons. At 5-2, Silent Tactic is likely to be the second choice in the betting and may not offer much value relative to his ceiling. He's consistent rather than spectacular — which in a race like this could be exactly what wins it.
Litmus Test (5-1)
The most interesting win ticket on the board. Bob Baffert's Nyquist colt won the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in December and has recorded top-four finishes in five straight graded stakes. He was below his best in the Rebel, fading after setting the early pace to finish third, but improvement second off the layoff is expected — and Baffert has been pushing buttons since, keeping him in Hot Springs for a pair of solid workouts. Crucially, he'll have his blinkers removed for this race, which should help him relax and find a more sustainable position. Francisco Arrieta, one of Oaklawn's leading riders, takes over for the first time. The historical angles are striking: Baffert has a 31% win rate in the Arkansas Derby over the last 20 editions, Rebel third-place finishers have a strong record in this race, and horses exiting the Rebel have won 45% of Arkansas Derbies in the last 20 years. At 5-1, Litmus Test is the value play in this field.
Blackout Time (6-1)
A horse with serious talent who has yet to put it all together at three. The Not This Time colt was a standout juvenile — finishing second to champion Ted Noffey in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) — but returned from a five-month layoff to finish a flat fourth in the Rebel. The layoff excuse was valid then. Now second off the break, he's expected to be sharper, and trainer Kenny McPeek knows the Oaklawn Derby trail well — he finished third here with Mystik Dan last year before winning the Kentucky Derby. Needs to run the best race of his three-year-old season, but the ceiling is there.
Bricklin
An intriguing cross-entry who was also entered in Friday's Hot Springs Stakes before connections make a final call. Trainer Rodolphe Brisset's colt exits a third-place finish in the Sunland Park Derby and won impressively at Oaklawn back in January, setting a contested pace before drawing away. Jaime Torres rides. The Sunland Derby run was modest on figures and this is a steep class jump, but he knows the track and has early pace to offer. One for the exotica tickets rather than the win bet.
Taptastic (20-1)
Steve Asmussen's son of Tapit is a maiden winner making a huge leap in class, but he did win the right way on debut at Oaklawn — sitting behind a slow pace and finishing fast along the inside to win by 1½ lengths. He's bred to handle the 1 1/8-mile distance and the yard has form in this race. Erik Asmussen rides. The honest assessment is that this is a deep spot for a horse with one start, but at 20-1 he's worth a small investment in your exacta and trifecta combinations. Longshots have surprised before at Oaklawn.
Redland Rebels (15-1)
Speed on the front end from post 1, trained by Patrick Biancone with Keith Asmussen aboard. He exits a fourth-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby where he set the early pace before tiring late, and his best form has come on turf. The extra sixteenth of a mile here is a concern. Likely to be a factor in the early pace scenario and could help set it up for the closers — not a win bet, but worth keeping in mind when structuring your superfecta.
Our Best Bets
Win: Litmus Test (5-1). The value in the field, with Baffert's track record, a tactical pace setup that suits him, and legitimate improvement expected second off the layoff. The blinkers coming off is a significant positive angle.
Each way: Silent Tactic (5-2). Rarely runs a bad race and has every chance to outfinish the field again. Likely to land in the top two even if Renegade proves best.
Longshot: Taptastic (20-1). Use him underneath in your trifecta and superfecta. He's worth a small win/place ticket if you're feeling bold.
Ticket structure: In trifectas and superfectas, key Renegade and Litmus Test on top with Silent Tactic and Blackout Time filling underneath, and use Taptastic as a live long-shot finisher.
Place bets at app.mywinners.com, download the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS here or Android here, or find your nearest Winners venue in CT.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Arkansas Derby?
The Arkansas Derby is a Grade 1 thoroughbred race held annually at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Run at 1 1/8 miles on dirt, it carries a $1.5 million purse and is one of the most important Kentucky Derby qualifying races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, awarding 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers.
When is the 2026 Arkansas Derby?
The Arkansas Derby runs on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Oaklawn Park. First post on Arkansas Derby Day is 12:35 p.m. ET, with the Arkansas Derby scheduled as the featured race in the evening.
Who is the favorite for the 2026 Arkansas Derby?
Renegade, trained by Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., is the 3-2 morning-line favorite following a dominant win in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
How many Kentucky Derby points does the Arkansas Derby award?
The Arkansas Derby awards 200 total points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis. The winner receives 100 points, which is enough to secure a starting gate spot in the Kentucky Derby.
What other races are on the Arkansas Derby Day card?
In addition to the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1), Saturday's card at Oaklawn includes the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3), the $200,000 Temperance Hill, and the $135,000 American Pharoah Overnight Stakes.
Can I bet on the Arkansas Derby at MyWinners?
Yes. MyWinners offers full pari-mutuel wagering on the Arkansas Derby and the entire Oaklawn Park card, including win, place, and show bets, plus exotics like exactas, trifectas, superfectas, and Pick 3-6 multi-race tickets. Head to MyWinners to get your bets in before post time.
Can I bet on the Fantasy Stakes at MyWinners?
Absolutely. Friday's card at Oaklawn is fully available on MyWinners, including the $1,000,000 Fantasy Stakes (G2). With 100 Kentucky Oaks points on the line for the winner, it's one of the most consequential filly races of the spring — and a great opportunity to get your weekend off to a winning start.
