Arkansas Derby (GI)

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA 100-50-25-15-10
March 29, 2025

Arkansas Derby Race History 

Most Kentucky Derby prep races exist primarily to serve as steppingstones toward the Run for the Roses. The historic Arkansas Derby (G1) technically serves the same purpose, but the 1 1⁄8-mile race is also an important race in its own right, cranking out elite racehorses with stunning regularity.

Held at Oaklawn Park, the Arkansas Derby received its inaugural running in 1936, 100 years after Arkansas achieved statehood. The “Arkansas Centennial Derby” awarded a purse of just $4,110 to the victorious Holl Image, who would race 155 times over the course of eight seasons.

From these humble beginnings, the Arkansas Derby underwent a slow ascent. Although the race achieved Grade 1 status for the first time in 1981, it didn’t produce a Kentucky Derby (G1) winner until 1983, when Sunny’s Halo managed to sweep both races during a productive spring campaign. The following year, the filly Althea scored a memorable victory, beating males in the still-standing stakes-record time of 1:46.80.

Over the next two decades, Tank’s Prospect (1985), Pine Bluff (1992), and Victory Gallop (1998) all parlayed Arkansas Derby victories into career-defining triumphs in Triple Crown races, while Arkansas Derby runners-up Lil E. Tee (1992) and Grindstone (1996) went on to win the Kentucky Derby. But it was Smarty Jones (2004) who propelled Oaklawn’s signature race into a new era. After cruising to victory in the first Arkansas Derby worth $1 million, Smarty Jones added wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness (G1) to his championship resume.

Since then, the rise of the Arkansas Derby has been swift and steady. Case in point? The first two decades of the 2000s saw the Arkansas Derby produce champions and/or classic winners Afleet Alex (2005), Lawyer Ron (2006), Curlin (2007), Summer Bird (2009), Super Saver (2010), Oxbow (2013), American Pharoah (2015), Creator (2016), Whitmore (2016), Classic Empire (2017), Country House (2019), and Improbable (2019).

Thanks to this eye-catching record of productivity, the Arkansas Derby understandably ranks as a top-tier Kentucky Derby prep race awarding qualification points on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis to the top four finishers. Between 1980 and 2023, a span of 44 years, the Arkansas Derby produced 116 Kentucky Derby starters, averaging nearly three per year.

With its Grade 1 status and seven-figure purse, you can bet the Arkansas Derby will remain a key Kentucky Derby prep race for years to come.

By J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

  • Subscribe to the Kentucky Derby Newsletter for Race Updates and Contender Stories

Road to the Kentucky Derby

Remsen

December 7, 2024

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun

December 11, 2024

Kawasaki • Kawasaki, Japan

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Remington Springboard Mile

December 13, 2024

Remington Park • Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Los Alamitos Futurity (GII)

December 14, 2024

Los Alamitos • Cypress, CA, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Gun Runner

December 21, 2024

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Jerome

January 4, 2025

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Smarty Jones

January 4, 2025

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points: 10-5-3-2-1

Lecomte (GIII)

January 18, 2025

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Southwest (GIII)

January 25, 2025

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Withers (GIII)

February 1, 2025

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Robert B. Lewis (GIII)

February 1, 2025

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Holy Bull (GIII)

February 1, 2025

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Sam F. Davis (GIII)

February 8, 2025

Tampa Bay Downs • Tampa, FL, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Risen Star (GII)

February 15, 2025

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Hyacinth

February 16, 2025

Tokyo Racecourse • Tokyo, Japan

Points: 30-15-9-6-3

Sunland Derby (GIII)

February 16, 2025

Sunland Park • Sunland Park, NM, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

John Battaglia Memorial

February 22, 2025

Turfway Park • Florence, KY, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Rebel (GII)

February 22, 2025

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes

February 26, 2025

Kempton • Sunbury-on-Thames, England, UK

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Patton

February 28, 2025

Dundalk • Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

Fountain of Youth (GII)

March 1, 2025

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

San Felipe (GII)

March 1, 2025

Santa Anita • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Gotham (GIII)

March 1, 2025

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Tampa Bay Derby (GII)

March 8, 2025

Tampa Bay Downs • Tampa, FL, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Virginia Derby

March 15, 2025

Colonial Downs • New Kent, VA, USA

Points: 50-25-15-10-5

Fukuryu

March 22, 2025

Nakayama • Funabashi, Chiba, Japan

Points: 40-20-12-8-4

Louisiana Derby (GII)

March 22, 2025

Fair Grounds • New Orleans, LA, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII)

March 22, 2025

Turfway Park • Florence, KY, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Arkansas Derby (GI)

March 29, 2025

Oaklawn Park • Hot Springs, AR, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Florida Derby (GI)

March 29, 2025

Gulfstream Park • Hallandale Beach, FL, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

UAE Derby (GII)

April 5, 2025

Meydan Racecourse • Dubai, UAE

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Santa Anita Derby (GI)

April 5, 2025

Santa Anita Park • Arcadia, CA, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Blue Grass (GI)

April 5, 2025

Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Wood Memorial (GII)

April 5, 2025

Aqueduct • New York, NY, USA

Points: 100-50-25-15-10

Lexington (GIII)

April 12, 2025

Keeneland • Lexington, KY, USA

Points: 20-10-6-4-2

FOLLOW FOR UPDATES AND EXCLUSIVES