2023 Arkansas Derby Picks & Trifecta Predictions: Rocket Can To Blast Rivals Away

The 2023 Arkansas Derby picks will see several horses tipped up for glory at Oaklawn Park on Saturday – the latest Kentucky Derby trial race. However, we feel the Bill Mott-trained Rocket Can is the one that can blast his rivals away.

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What Time/Date Is The 2023 Arkansas Derby?

📅Time/Date: 6:50pm (Local) (Saturday April 1, 2023)
🏇Racecourse: Oaklawn Park (Race 12, Grade 1, Dirt, 1m 1/8 for 3 yo)
💰 Purse/Winner: $1.25m
📺 TV: NBC Sports

2023 Arkansas Derby Picks: Rocket Can to Blast Rivals Away

Saturday’s Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park is one the next big trial races on the road to the Kentucky Derby on Saturday May 6 – along with the Florida Derby this weekend too.

Reincarnate will be one of the leading fancies with the best US sports betting sites for Saturday’s Arkansas Derby after a recent third in the G2 Rebel Stakes at Gulfstream in February.

The 3 year-old has been transferred from the Bob Baffert yard to the Tim Yakteen barn so he can run here – but it’s worth pointing out that Baffert has a great record in the race – winning it four times since 2012.

The Arkansas Derby will award Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top five finishers – (100-40-30-20-10)

But Rocket Can Looks The Most Interesting Runner

The Bill Mott-trained 3 year-old ROCKET CAN has caught the eye of many horse racing fans after winning the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park in February (watch below). The exciting grey then didn’t disappoint next time either when running the current Kentucky Derby favorite Forte to 4 1/2 lengths in the Fountain Of Youth Stakes.

Forte is the red-hot favorite for the other big Saturday Kentucky Derby trial at Gulfstream – so the form of Rocket Can’s second to the Todd Pletcher horse looks rock solid.

Rocket Can, who has post position 7 for Saturday’s race, is around 33/1 for the Kentucky Derby on May 6, but if he can win the Arkansas Derby, you feel these odds will shorten.

5 of the Last 7 Arkansas Derby Favorites Have Won

The Arkansas Derby is a contest that the favorites have a good record in recently. Since 2014, the race has produced six winning market leaders – including 5 of the last 7.

Last year’s winner Cyberknife (watch below) wasn’t, however, the favorite – winning at 58/10 – with the market leader Secret Oath (3rd). Secret Oath later went onto win the Kentucky Oaks.

At the present, Reincarnate and Rocket Can are set to be the likely racebook favorites for the 2023 Arkansas Derby.

Angel Of Empire Also A Big Player For Arkansas Derby

Of the rest, the Brad H Cox yard won this prize with Cyberknife last year and will be hoping to follow-up with Angel Of Empire. The Classic Empire colt was last seen winning the G2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in February. He’s priced around 40/1 for the Kentucky Derby.

Arkansas Derby Trifecta Predictions

• 1st ROCKET CAN
• 2nd Angel Of Empire
• 3rd Reincarnate

Rocket Can is the trifecta pick to lead the field of 11 runners home, but which horses can he fear most?

Angel Of Empire runs for last year’s winning barn of Brad Cox and was a good winner of the G2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds back in February. He looks sure to run a big race too and should figure in your Arkansas trifecta picks.

Reincarnate can also go well. He wasn’t at home on the slop the last day at Oaklawn Park, but still ran well to be a respectable third.

Back on a faster surface here the Tim Yakteen runner can be seen in a better light. John R Velazquez rides the horse that has switched from the Bob Baffert yard to the Tim Yakteen team in order to be able to qualify for the Kentucky Derby with the Baffert ban still in place.

Two Eagles River and Red Route One are the two others to note when looking at your Arkansas Derby trifecta picks.

Arkansas Derby Runners, Riders, Post Positions and Betting Odds

1 (1) Bourbon Bash @ 35/1

Jockey: Reylu Gutierrez
Trainer: D Wayne Lukas

2 (2) Interlock Empire 50/1

Jockey:David Cabrera
Trainer: Kenneth McPeek

3 (3) Harlocap 30/1

Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr
Trainer: Steven Asmussen

4 (4) Two Eagles River 8/1

Jockey: Nik Juarez
Trainer: Chris A Hartman

5 (5) Airtime 40/1

Jockey: Cristian A Torres
Trainer: Robertino Diodoro

6 (6) Angel Of Empire 6/1

Jockey: Flavien Prat
Trainer: Brad H Cox

7 (7) Rocket Can 5/2

Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Trainer: William Mott

8 (8) Reincarnate 7/2

Jockey:John R Velazquez
Trainer: Tim Yakteen

9 (9) King Russell 75/1

Jockey: Rafael Bejarano
Trainer: Ronald Moquett

10 (10) Red Route One 8/1

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Trainer: Steven Asmussen

11 (11) Kolomio 100/1

Jockey: James Graham
Trainer: Keith Desormeaux

Note: Odds are subject to change – you can bet on the Arkansas Derby with BetOnline and also get $1000 in free horse racing bets.

Three Arkansas Derby Winners Have Gone onto Win The Kentucky Derby

The last winner of the Arkansas Derby to go onto win the Kentucky Derby was the classy American Pharoah in 2015. While prior to that we’ve only seen two more horses do the double – Sunny’s Halo in 1983 and Smarty Jones in 2004.

Forte The 2023 Kentucky Derby Favorite

The current Kentucky Derby favourite – Forte – is also on the track this weekend in the Florida Derby. The Todd Pletcher-trained 3 year-old will need to overcome gate 11 to win again and maintain his position at the head of the Churchill Downs betting, but many feel he’s up to the task.

Forte is the current 3/1 favorite for the Kentucky Derby on May 6, with Arabian Knight (8/1), Practical Move (10/1), Tapit Trice (10/1) and last weekend’s Louisiana Derby winner Kingsbarns (12/1) others to note in the betting.

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