HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on Saturday has brought together 11 hopefuls for the Kentucky Derby, including the winners of both divisions of last month’s Rebel – Omaha Beach and Long Range Toddy – a Bob Baffert shipper in Improbable, and popular multiple stakes winners Galilean and Gray Attempt. The Grade 1, $1 million race – which doles out Kentucky Derby points to its first four finishers on a scale of 100-40-20-10 – also is the richest event during the $3.6 million Racing Festival of the South. The series features six major stakes over three race dates, with three of the stakes on the 12-race program Saturday. The Oaklawn Handicap and Count Fleet Sprint Handicap are part of the card that has a special first post of 12:30 p.m. Central. The forecast calls for highs in the mid-50s and an 80 percent chance of rain. The Arkansas Derby is the richest race at the Oaklawn meet that this year extends into May – as well as a key prep for many of its starters as they are on the bubble for the Kentucky Derby. “Country House has 30 points, and if we want to go to the Derby, we may need a few more points,” trainer Bill Mott said. Key Contenders Improbable, by City Zip Last 3 Beyers: 95-96-93 ◗ The winner of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity in December, he launched his season last month in the first division of the Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel. Improbable stalked the pace, moved to the fore, and, in front of a crowd of 45,500, was edged by a neck on the wire by Long Range Toddy. “I thought he ran very well,” Baffert said of Improbable. “I think he needed it. Turning for home, it looked like he was going to win by five. He idled in the stretch. I think with all the fans, he idled, lost focus. He got beat by a nice horse. “He’s come back and worked well. We’re going to put a little blinker on him, keep him a little more focused.” Baffert wins at a 40 percent clip when he adds a set of blinkers, according to Daily Racing Form statistics. ◗ Improbable is 3 for 4, having reeled off three straight wins to start his career. He won a maiden special weight sprint last September at Santa Anita and won the $100,000 Street Sense in November at Churchill Downs prior to the CashCall. “I like his athleticism,” Baffert said. “He’s a beautiful-moving horse. When you see him out there, he just runs on top of the ground. He gets over the ground really light. And he’s got a lot of speed. We haven’t really used it. He has speed when you need it.” ◗ Improbable will break from the rail under Jose Ortiz for the partnership of WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International, and Starlight Racing. Omaha Beach, by War Front Last 3 Beyers: 96-90-83 ◗ He’s looking for his third straight win, following a maiden special weight at seven furlongs in his fifth career start Feb. 2 at Santa Anita and the Rebel in his most recent out March 16. He ran in the second division of the Rebel and was prominent throughout the 1 1/16-mile race for a nose win over comebacking champion Game Winner. “He’s learned to fight,” trainer Richard Mandella said of Omaha Beach. “He’s such a sweet horse and has such a good temperament, I think he didn’t have that real killer instinct early in racing. But each race, it came on him, and now, his race the other day, he looked that horse in the eye and fought it out. So, I’m hoping he’s learned how to do that.” ◗ Omaha Beach will break from post 3 under Mike Smith. “He’s very quick if you want to use it, but he’s also very kind if you want to go the other way,” Mandella said. “Mike worked him the other day, and he settled way off of a horse and just galloped by him easy. So, we’re happy with where we are. We think he’ll kind of do whatever we ask.” ◗ Omaha Beach is a half-brother to champion Take Charge Brandi who races for Fox Hill Farm. Long Range Toddy, by Take Charge Indy Last 3 Beyers: 95-87-87 ◗ He picked up his third stakes win and first graded victory in the first division of the Rebel, earning a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 95. “It was his coming-out party,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He’s a very honest, durable horse that took his game to a new level in the Rebel. “We love how he’s doing physically, and his confidence level is excellent. It’s a situation where we have a good horse getting very good at the right time.” ◗ Jon Court has the mount from post 11 for Willis Horton.