Far Right to skip Rebel Stakes for Arkansas Derby

Hot Springs, AR (SportsNetwork.com) – Far Right, winner of the first two stakes for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn Park, will bypass the $750,000 Rebel Stakes on March 14 to train up to the $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 11.

“We decided to try to not just get there (to the Kentucky Derby), but get there with enough healthy horse to do some damage,” trainer Ron Moquett said. “We’re trying to get there with the most horse.”

Far Right, owned by Robert LaPenta and Harry Rosenblum, won last Sunday’s $300,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn by three-quarters of a length over The Truth Or Else with Mr. Z third. Last month, Far Right won the track’s Smarty Jones Stakes. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith was aboard for both victories and is committed to ride the colt in the Arkansas Derby.

The Truth Or Else, trained by Ken McPeek, will start in the Rebel and Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will have Mr. Z make his next start in the $750,000 Louisiana Derby on March 28 at Fair Grounds. Mr. Z was third in both the Smarty Jones and Southwest.

Categorized in: Horses