Final fall, Muth and Fierceness confirmed the world they have been elite 2-year-olds with a 1-2 end within the Nov. 3 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile introduced by TAA at Santa Anita Park. Almost 5 months afterward March 30, in numerous elements of the nation, the identical two horses illustrated they proceed to be simply as particular as 3-year-olds.
About an hour after Fierceness romped within the Curlin Florida Derby introduced by Hill ‘N’ Dale Farms at Xalapa at Gulfstream Park, it was Muth‘s flip to shine within the $1.5 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park with a powerful two-length win over runner-up Simply Metal.
However whereas Fierceness will head to Churchill Downs because the doubtless favourite for the Might 4 Kentucky Derby introduced by Woodford Reserve, Muth is not going to. Muth’s coach, Bob Baffert, is banned from getting into horses at Churchill Downs and Muth can’t run. As an alternative, a race just like the Might 18 Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of the Triple Crown at Pimlico Race Course, is more likely to fall into Muth’s future plans.
Within the Arkansas Derby, Muth ran like one of many nation’s finest 3-year-olds, placing away favored Timberlake on the second flip and sustaining a snug benefit over runner-up Simply Metal down the stretch. The winner sped 1 1/8 miles on a quick monitor in 1:49.54, returning $6.60 to win.
Juan Hernandez rode the Zedan Racing Stables-owned Muth, a son of Good Magic that was bought for $2 million as a 2-year-olds in coaching.
Mystik Dan completed 4 ¼ lengths behind Simply Metal and rallied to seize third by a half-length over fourth-place finisher Timberlake. Knowledgeable Patriot was fifth.
As a part of the Highway to the Kentucky Derby collection, the Arkansas Derby provided Kentucky Derby qualifying factors to its second by way of fifth finishers on a 50-25-15-10 scale. The Arkansas Derby is the richest 3-year-old prep within the collection.
Simply Metal (65 total factors) and Timberlake (81 factors) would seem in a secure place to qualify for the sphere for the Kentucky Derby, which generally oversubscribes past its most subject dimension of 20 horses.
Mystik Dan is at the moment fifteenth on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 46 factors however is more likely to be handed by different 3-year-olds after main prep races subsequent week. Inevitably, nevertheless, defections and scratches happen within the lead-up to the Derby, opening up beginning positions.
Seven horses from the Arkansas Derby have received the Kentucky Derby, all since 1983, together with 4 since 2004. Nation Home, third in 2019, received the Kentucky Derby by way of disqualification. 4 years earlier than him, Baffert trainee American Pharoah took the Arkansas Derby on his option to a sweep of the Triple Crown, which ended a 37-year drought within the collection.
Muth improved to 4-2-0 in six begins together with his triumph within the Arkansas Derby. He earned $787,500 within the Arkansas Derby to raise his profession earnings to $1,504,100.