Arkansas Derby Could Involve Serious Jockeying For Money
by March 30, 2011 7:00 pm 44 views
Arkansas News Bureau sports columnist Harry King takes a look at how the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn could play a major role in the race for horse owners to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.
It’s not necessarily about winning the race, as King notes, but it’s more about how a second or third place finisher might earn enough money to qualify for a Run for the Roses on May 7.
In short, several promising horse owners are in a bind because they haven’t reached the earnings threshold required to qualify for the prestigious Louisville spectacle.
Says King:
Meanwhile, many horsemen with promising 3-year-olds are in a bind. Their horses are already shy of the money needed to guarantee one of the 20 spots in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby and the hole could get deeper because there are three $1 million prep races yet to be run, other than the Arkansas Derby.
A victory in any of those races buys a ticket to Louisville, but a second does wonders for the bankroll.
You can read King’s full column at this link.