Super Saver edges favouritism in the Arkansas Derby

  PICTURE: EquiSport Photos  

Super Saver looks strong in Arkansas Derby

Preview: USA, Saturday 10.48pm BST

Oaklawn Park: Arkansas Derby (Grade 1) 1m1f, dirt, 3yo

KENTUCKY Derby preps are coming down to a precious few now, with the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes also being run on Saturday and the Coolmore Lexington Stakes coming up at Keeneland a week later.

As for the Arkansas Derby, trainer Todd Pletcher goes into yet another prep with a favourite, Super Saver, ridden by Calvin Borel who has won two of the three most recent runnings of the Kentucky Derby.

Super Saver, the 9-5 morning-line choice,  was third beaten by a half-length in his seasonal debut, in the Tampa Bay Derby, by Blue Grass starter Odysseus. Runner-up Schoolyard Dreams returned in the Wood Memorial where he was a distant third behind the Pletcher-trained Eskendereya.

In his lone previous start at Churchill Downs, Super Saver won the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in late-November with Borel his rider.

Epsom Derby entrant Noble's Promise (Ken McPeek/Robby Albarado) comes into the Arkansas Derby the 2-1 second choice after being beaten by just a head by juvenile champion Lookin At Lucky in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes here on March 13 in what was his dirt debut.

He won the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity over the all-weather at Keeneland last October before finishing third beaten less than a length by Vale of York in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and second, again beaten by less than a length, by Lookin At Lucky in the CashCall Futurity at Hollwood Park.

Dublin (Wayne Lukas/Terry Thompson), winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga last summer, is winless in his two starts this year, finishing second in the Southwest Stakes and third in the Rebel Stakes. He is rated the third choice at 7-2.

He joins Northern Giant, most recently runner-up in the Grade 2 Lane's End Stakes at Turfway Park, as one of two starters for multiple-Derby winner Wayne Lukas.  

The remainder of the field is rated at 15-1 or more with three of the five horses being maiden winners only.