HOT SPRINGS — It is a day of pageantry.
From the Oaklawn Jockey Club that looms over the track to the infield, the Derby costumes combine to make a cotton rainbow.
It is a day when 63,804, including regulars, the curious and those hunting the biggest party, assemble at Oaklawn for a day filled with horses, food and beverages. Many make a visit to the gaming center to try their hand at a game of skill.
Those games of skill have generated enough revenue to raise the purses so often at Oaklawn that trainers from all over the country ship horses into the Spa City, either for the season or for a few days.
Since 2004, the Arkansas Derby also has given new meaning to the phrase Kentucky Derby prep race.
Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex and Curlin went on to become Eclipse Award winners.
Last year, Archarcharch appeared ready to carve his own legacy out of the Kentucky dirt only to stumble leaving the gate, causing jockey Jon Court’s saddle to slip and a career-ending injury to occur.
This year’s entries had another handful of gutsy, improving 3-year-olds who were aimed at the Run for the Roses almost from the day they were conceived.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who recently had a heart attack, brought in two who were the betting favorites and he won the exacta when lightly raced but highly regarded Bodemeister went wire to wire.
He was never challenged and was pulling away under jockey Mike Smith.
Secret Circle, winner of the Rebel Stakes and one division of the Southwest Stakes, was second, holding off closing Sabercat and Cozzetti.
The winner’s share of the $1 million purse is $600,000, which will be enough to get Bodemeister to the Kentucky Derby. It was only his fourth race, although he was made the morning-line favorite.
Saying it was a convincing victory would be like saying last week was a bit tumultuous in the land of the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Smith coasted the big colt home. Baffert was not there to see it, but his presence was felt.
Yet, closing day wasn’t about one race. It was about a racing card with a record $2 million in purses, and that attracted plenty of headliners.
The big-dollar races, all saddled in the infield, began with the eighth race, the Count Fleet Handicap. A field of six was headed by 4-5 betting favorite Izzy Rules, who won a Grade III race in Santa Anita last month.
Izzy Rules bolted out of the gate like he was going to make it five victories in a row, only he didn’t rule. Outta Tune, who started the Oaklawn season winning a $10,000 starter allowance race, overtook him at the head of the stretch and grabbed the lion’s share of the $250,000 prize.
Outta Tune had the fastest 6 furlongs of the meet with 1:09.35.
The Northern Spur, named after the Charles Cella-owned Eclipse Award winner, was next and Drill was thought to have shipped from California for a $60,000 (first-place money) workout.
The buzz in the press box was watch out for Master Rick, and for good reason, although few reporters were on board. He tracked early leader Double Rah Rah for 6 furlongs, and he too moved at the top of the stretch to give trainer Steve Asmussen his fifth victory on the afternoon. That might explain why Asmussen trainee, Nehro, went off as the second betting choice in the Oaklawn Handicap.
Alternation, winner of the Razorback Handicap, went wire to wire to win the 66th running of that prestigious race.
Then came the Derby and the season finale, the Trail’s End, which is a marathon, sort of like Derby Day, which for most started early and ended late.
Sports, Pages 21 on 04/15/2012