Study Guide: 2026 Arkansas Derby

Mar 24, 2026 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Silent Tactic wins the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. (Photo by Coady Media)

Saturday’s $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park is an important stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, awarding qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis to the top five finishers.

The field for the 1 1/8-mile race is packed with accomplished horses. Let’s take a tour through the entries:

Redland Rebels

Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Calypso Racing Stables 2022
Breeder: Hickstead Farm
Trainer: Patrick Biancone
Jockey: Keith Asmussen

Top Speed Rating: (90) when finishing second in the Kitten’s Joy S. at Gulfstream Park.
Total Earnings: $104,500

Sire: Uncle Chuck
Dam: Kombat Cat
Color: Dark bay/brown

Redland Rebels has shown talent on both dirt and turf. He exits a pacesetting fourth-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and may shake loose on an uncontested lead in the Arkansas Derby, opening the door for a possible top-five finish.

Silent Tactic

Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 3
Show: 0

Owner: John C. Oxley
Breeder: Don Alberto Corporation
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Cristian Torres

Top Speed Rating: (93) when finishing second in the Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $774,422

Sire: Tacitus
Dam: Magical Sign
Color: Bay

Silent Tactic has competed with aplomb in Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers at Oaklawn this winter, sandwiching runner-up finishes in the Rebel (G2) and Smarty Jones S. around a decisive win in the Southwest (G3). He’s a logical win contender in the Arkansas Derby.

SILENT TACTIC with a last to first win in the G3 Southwest and picks up 20 points towards the @kentuckyderby! 🔇🌹@markecasse trains the son of Tacitus and @cristiantorr64 was aboard!

At 12/1, the colt paid $26 to win. 💰

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/wbw8JL3i9L

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 6, 2026

Blackout Time

Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 0

Owner: BR Thoroughbreds, Lance Gasaway, and Magdalena Racing
Breeder: Newstead Corp
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (93) when finishing second in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.
Total Earnings: $264,691

Sire: Not This Time
Dam: Beauty Parlor
Color: Dark bay/brown

Blackout Time showed talent at age two, finishing second to champion Ted Noffey in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1). He recently returned from a five-month break to finish fourth in the Rebel at Oaklawn and figures to improve in his second start of the season. Don’t count Blackout Time out of the mix.

Bricklin

Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 1

Owner: Imagine Racing
Breeder: Haymarket Farm
Trainer: Rodolphe Brisset
Jockey: Jaime Torres

Top Speed Rating: (92) when winning a $125,000 allowance optional claimer at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $141,068

Sire: Nyquist
Dam: Majestic Vixen
Color: Dark bay/brown

Bricklin exits a third-place finish in the Sunland Park Derby, beaten 5 1/4 lengths. The winner, Pavlovian, returned to finish a close second in the Louisiana Derby (G2). Bricklin will be a longshot in the Arkansas Derby, but a top-five finish isn’t necessarily out of reach.

Taptastic

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables
Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Erik Asmussen

Top Speed Rating: (84) when winning a maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park.
Total Earnings: $66,000

Sire: Tapit
Dam: Valadorna
Color: Gray/roan

Taptastic impressed when debuting in a one-mile maiden special weight at Oaklawn. He waited in traffic behind a slow pace, then finished fast along the inside to triumph by 1 1/2 lengths. He’s bred to relish racing 1 1/8 miles and has a big chance to outrun expectations in the Arkansas Derby.

Renegade

Start(s): 4
Wins: 1
Place: 2
Show: 1

Owner: Robert Low, Lawana L. Low, and Repole Stable
Breeder: Robert Low and Lawana Low
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (97) when winning the Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs.
Total Earnings: $199,000

Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Spice Is Nice
Color: Bay

Renegade was much the best in the Sam F. Davis S. to kick off 2026, romping by 3 3/4 lengths with a sharp 97 Brisnet Speed rating. Third-place finisher The Puma flattered Renegade by returning to win the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). Renegade has a strong chance to give Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher a sixth triumph in the Arkansas Derby.

Renegade, renegade 💃📱

RENEGADE launched on the outside and dances in the Sam F. Davis and picks up 20 @kentuckyderby points! 🌹

Todd Pletcher trains and @iradortiz was aboard!

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/DMZZucgcar

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 7, 2026

Napoleon Solo

Start(s): 3
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Gold Square
Breeder: John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock
Trainer: Chad Summers
Jockey: Kendrick Carmouche

Top Speed Rating: (98) when winning the Champagne (G1) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $330,520

Sire: Liam’s Map
Dam: Atomic Blonde
Color: Gray/roan

Napoleon Solo is slated to scratch and await the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct instead.

Exosome

Start(s): 5
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: NBS Stable
Breeder: Stoneriggs Farm
Trainer: Kelsey Danner
Jockey: Adam Beschizza

Top Speed Rating: (82) when finishing sixth in the Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds.
Total Earnings: $145,195

Sire: Candy Ride
Dam: Incredible Grace
Color: Bay

Exosome battled to victory in a 1 1/16-mile $150,000 allowance optional claimer at Oaklawn last month, scoring by a neck. But he’ll need to improve upon his career-best 82 Brisnet Speed rating to challenge in the Arkansas Derby.

Litmus Test

Start(s): 6
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 2

Owner: SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan
Breeder: Machmer Hall
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Francisco Arrieta

Top Speed Rating: (102) when finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar.
Total Earnings: $440,188

Sire: Nyquist
Dam: Study Hard
Color: Bay

Litmus Test has recorded top-four finishes in five straight graded stakes, most notably winning the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2). He started 2026 with a pacesetting third-place finish in the Rebel and is eligible to improve in his second run of the season, so another competitive finish appears likely.