HOT SPRINGS, AR – Even-money favorite Renegade unleashed a powerful late run to dominate the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn, stamping himself as a major Kentucky Derby contender in emphatic fashion.
Before an estimated crowd of 73,000—the largest in Oaklawn history—Renegade surged from off the pace and rolled home by four lengths, delivering a performance that left little doubt about his growing status on the Derby trail.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher secured a record sixth Arkansas Derby victory, with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard the son of Into Mischief. Renegade is owned by Mike Repole and Robert and Lawana Low of Springfield, Missouri, continuing a successful partnership that has previously captured this race with Overanalyze (2013) and Magnum Moon (2018).
Breaking from the gate, Renegade found himself last of eight through a half-mile in :47.80, but Ortiz never panicked. “He kicked home. The way he did it today, it was very special,” Ortiz said. “I thought I could have been closer to it (pace), but he broke and put himself right there, so I left him there. Just wherever he wants to be. I wanted to ride him with confidence and that’s what I did.”
As the field moved down the backside, Ortiz kept his mount relaxed while tracking the leaders. “At the (half-mile pole), I had (Silent Tactic) right in front of me and he kind of like worked his way out. I had to wait a little bit, one jump, and right after that I asked him a little bit and he jumped on the bridle and I said: ‘All right, I have some horse,’” Ortiz added.
Swinging wide turning for home, Renegade exploded with a four-wide move and quickly took command. “At the top of the stretch when I tipped him out to put him the middle of the track and I hit him one time – after that I was having fun. He was running and was going to hold it,” Ortiz said.
Carrying 124 pounds, Renegade stopped the clock in a sharp 1:49.70, visually and statistically backing up the dominance.
Pletcher, watching from afar, was equally impressed with how the race unfolded. “We were super excited about the way he ran,” Pletcher said. “It looked like he got shuffled around a little bit in the first turn and down the backside. It looked like he was traveling well. It just kind of looked like Irad (Oritz Jr.) was biding his time to start advancing. I was really impressed by the way he finished coming home the last eighth of a mile the way he did.”
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Silent Tactic, who had taken command in mid-stretch, held on for second, finishing two lengths clear of Taptastic, who impressed in just his second career start. Bricklin completed the superfecta, followed by Blackout Time, Redland Rebels, Litmus Test, and Exosome. Napoleon Solo was scratched.
Despite the loss, Silent Tactic’s rider Cristian Torres had no complaints. “Second best. No excuses. Great race, great trip, just second best, honestly,” Torres said. “We got beat by the best horse today. Now, we’ve got five weeks for the first Saturday in May. He ran his race. There was nothing else to do. We were just second best today.”
Taptastic’s effort also caught attention, even in defeat. Trainer Steve Asmussen noted the colt’s upside moving forward. “He’s got a great amount of talent. He’s very young mentally, physically and with it being here had a little bit to do with running him,” Asmussen said. “He represented well, but he needs more time to run against horses like these.”
With the victory, Renegade earned 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, his second win in five starts, and pushed his career earnings past $1 million to $1,031,500. He entered off a 3 ¾-length victory in the Sam F. Davis Stakes and now firmly sits among the top contenders for the Run for the Roses.
For co-owner Robert Low, the performance may have exceeded expectations—but it also raised the bar moving forward. “Just keep him together. If he runs like this, I think he’ll be really tough (in the Kentucky Derby),” Low said. “He really did (exceed my expectations). He just got out there and it was kind of a speed-favoring track – it seemed like – and then he closed like the way he did. Let’s go win one.”
Renegade returned $4, $2.60, and $2.20, while Silent Tactic paid $3.20 and $2.60. Taptastic returned $3.80. Saturday’s total mutuel handle reached $23,141,822.
