Jason Beem's FROTW: Recap

Over 55,000 people attended the 73rd running of the Grade 2 $1,000,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park and they witnessed a great race between Papa Clem and Old Fashioned.  Old Fashioned was sent off as the even money favorite and set very demanding early  fractions of 22.65 and 46.19 for the opening quarter and half mile.  Papa Clem was backed down to 4 to 1 and is generally a front runner.  However in the Arkansas Derby  he was taken back off the pace by jockey Rafael Bejarano and sat fifth throughout the early portions of the race.  Bejarano guided Papa Clem four wide around the turn and they engaged the leader Old Fashioned at the Quarter Pole.

As they entered the stretch, Papa Clem looked as if he would draw away from Old Fashioned, but the favorite dug back in and battled all the way down the lane.  In the end Papa Clem took home the $600,000 winner’s share by half a length.  Old Fashioned finished up second and long shot Silver Bird finished up third. 

After the race it was discovered that Old Fashioned had suffered a knee slab fracture and while the injury is not life threatening at all, he is off the Kentucky Derby trail and possibly will be forced to retire.

In our exacta box for the week, we didn’t have Papa Clem so we start the summer season down $20 early, but it’s a long road to October and I’m very optimistic about the races in the coming weeks.

Don’t forget next week our Feature Race of the Week is the $300,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland and we’ll have our picks posted up on the website early Friday afternoon.