Oaklawn Park track update for April 7

Oaklawn's meet reaches its crescendo — but not conclusion — this weekend. Though they run all the way through May 1, this Saturday's card features one of the most important three-year-old preps, the $1,000,000 Arkansas Derby (G1).

The weekend should be full of great betting opportunities, so let's return our focus to Hot Springs.

Jockeys

Ricardo Santana Jr. has been a shining star this Oaklawn meet. His 49 wins have him 16 victories clear of second-place Francisco Arrieta. Santana's win rate also stacks up well, especially given how many horses he rides. His 207 starts rank second-most of any jockey this meet (behind only the 245 of David Cabrera), and Santana has won 24% of those starts. The only jockey with more than 10 mounts this meet who has a better win percentage is Florent Geroux, who is 27-for-96 for a 28% win rate.

Looking at riders who hit the board often? Santana leads all regular riders there, too, with 53% of his starters running third or better. Other regular Oaklawn jockeys who have run in the money at least half the time include rising young rider Arrieta (96 of 187 in the money, 51%) and Oaklawn mainstay Ramon Vazquez (75 of 150, 50%).

Trainers

Runaway leading jockey Santana rides first-call for trainer Steve Asmussen, and fittingly, Asmussen is also dominating the trainer standings. His 64 wins from 325 starts (20%) have him well clear of second-place Robertino Diodoro, who has won 48 times from 199 starts (24%).

A couple of other barns are winning a lot, particularly with claimers - don't ignore those weekdays and undercards! Karl Broberg wins prodigiously all over the South, and Oaklawn is no different. His 33 wins from 139 starts are good for a 24% rate, and he is also an astonishing 64% in the money. Norm McKnight may be more familiar to Canadian bettors, but he has done well at Oaklawn lately and is winning at 26% (28-for-107) this meet.

At a Glance

For more trends to keep in mind for Arkansas Derby week, be sure to read the latest At a Glance on Brisnet!