Horse trainer Robert Yates Brad Cox is turning 44 on Saturday. On the same day, he could become the first trainer to win Oaklawn's two major races for 3-year-olds in back-to-back years. However, D. Wayne Lukas, another well-known trainer, could also achieve this. Lukas plans to race Just Steel in the $1.5 million G1-Arkansas Derby and Lemon Muffin in the $750,000 G2-Fantasy Stakes for fillies.
The Arkansas Derby and the Fantasy Stakes are Oaklawn’s last qualifying races for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks. Lukas also has another horse, Seize the Grey, competing in the $1 million G1-Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 6. Lukas, a four-time Kentucky Derby winner and five-time Kentucky Oaks winner, is confident in his horses' chances.
Lemon Muffin, a horse trained by Lukas, has been noticed in the Kentucky Oaks scene after her recent win in the $400,000 G3-Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn on February 24. This win gave Lemon Muffin 50 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points, putting her fifth on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard. The Kentucky Oaks allows 14 starters, and Lemon Muffin is currently 9-2 on the morning line for the Fantasy.
Lukas' Kentucky Derby hopefuls, Seize the Grey and Just Steel, are in less secure positions. Seize the Grey is 15th with 27 points, while Just Steel is 29th with 15 points. The Kentucky Derby allows 20 starters. Just Steel finished seventh in Oaklawn’s third Kentucky Derby points race, the $1.25 million G2-Rebel Stakes.
Bob Baffert was the first trainer to win the Arkansas Derby and Fantasy in the same year in 2012. Steve Asmussen did the same in 2016 and 2021. Cox won last year’s Arkansas Derby with Angel of Empire and Fantasy with Wet Paint. Asmussen has three horses in this year's race, increasing the competition. The upcoming races are expected to be competitive, with the possibility of a new record being set.
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