Arkansas Derby Contender Spotlight: Anneau d’Or

HOT SPRINGS, AR – Peter Redekop’s Anneau d’Or will take his fourth attempt at his first dirt win on Saturday when he enters the gate in the 1st division of the $500,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park.

Anneau d’Or broke his maiden at first asking in eye-popping fashion, crushing a turf maiden special weight field by 8 lengths. Trainer Blaine Wright’s faith in his abilities paid off, as he just missed winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) by a head while making his inaugural dirt appearance.

Wright returned Anneau d’Or a month later in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), which he lost by only a neck, but he failed to find nearly the same success in the Risen Star Stakes (G2), where he was a well-beaten ninth. The Medaglia d’Oro colt is losing the blinkers that he wore in the Risen Star and gets Juan Hernandez – aboard for all three 2019 races – back in the saddle.

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The Arkansas Derby is a Kentucky Derby (G1) prep race awarding a total of 170 points to the top four finishers. The winner will receive 100 points, with 40 going to second, 20 to third, and 10 to fourth.

Here is the full field for the 1st division of the Arkansas Derby (click on each horse’s name to read an exclusive preview):