Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby; 1 1/8 miles; Oaklawn Park; April 14, 2018 (100 Derby qualifying points for a win, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth) Winner: Magnum Moon, by Malibu Moon Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: Luis Saez Owner: Robert and Lawana Low Beyer Speed Figure: 98 :: Kentucky Derby advance PPs are now available! MAGNUM MOON remained unbeaten with his fourth victory in four starts. He’s basically the Eastern version of Justify, only with one more start owing to beginning his career one month earlier, in January. He’s obviously an extremely talented colt, and adds considerable depth and quality to what is shaping up as an outstanding Kentucky Derby field. As with Justify, he has jammed a lot of development into a short amount of time, but so far his talent more than makes up for his inexperience. Of concern is that he has drifted out in the stretch run of his last two starts, significantly more so in this race than in the Rebel. Fortunately for him, in this race he was so far in front it didn’t matter. He figures to have a far stronger battle to fight in three weeks against the likes of Justify, Mendelssohn, and his other Pletcher-trained stablemates Audible, Noble Indy, and Vino Rosso. In this race, Magnum Moon got away with a fairly leisurely pace, and he had more than enough to turn back challengers and kick clear through the lane. He did show an ability to sit behind horses in his second start, an allowance at Tampa, and while that was against far inferior competition to what he’ll face in the Derby, it will likely be a fortuitous schooling session, because unless he comes barreling out of the gate in the Derby he’s likely to have to stalk and then try to pounce. Magnum Moon broke well enough here and then knifed his way between rivals under the wire the first time to take the lead and get to the rail, with QUIP just to his outside. He was under a snug hold by Saez, with his ears forward, a sign he was going well within himself. He was asked just a bit heading to the far turn to maintain a narrow lead over Quip, with whom he was even three furlongs out. He started to pull away entering the lane, immediately began to drift several lanes to his right, and continued to angle to his right even when put to right-handed pressure inside the furlong pole, yet remained very strong all the way to the finish. Quip, who finished second, broke very well and then conceded the lead to Magnum Moon while tracking him from the outside while under a snug hold. He was complicit in helping to slow the pace down during the second quarter-mile (25.26 seconds), gradually inched closer to Magnum Moon to the point where they were even with three furlongs to go, came under heavy encouragement passing the quarter pole, and though he couldn’t go with Magnum Moon through the lane he gamely fought off three others to hold the place while drifting to his left in the final furlong while under right-handed whipping. SOLOMINI, who was third, wound up about three to four paths wide into the first turn, but considering his one-paced style, it’s best for him to be in the clear. He’s not the type who can quicken in an instant and get to a hole while in traffic. He remained wide down the backstretch and wound up four paths wide heading into the far turn while starting to be urged along, got floated to about the five path coming into the lane, and kept to his task through the stretch despite failing, per usual, to change leads, despite several attempts by Flavien Prat to have him to do so. He’ll run as far as they write races. :: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays, and analysis COMBATANT, who was fourth, lacked speed and raced at the rear of the field in the two path around the first turn, trailed down the backstretch, rallied while four paths wide on the far turn, was fanned to the six path into the stretch, had every chance to get second but couldn’t get there. He just doesn’t quite finish off his races like you’d want. Perhaps he needs a slightly shorter trip. In his defense, he certainly was compromised by the slow pace and wide trip. TENFOLD, who finished fifth, ducked to his left leaving the gate but quickly took up a forward position just behind the leaders while in the three path around the first turn. He raced just behind and outside of Quip down the backstretch, went into the far turn in the three path, was under an aggressive ride with a little less than three furlongs to go, drifted out into the lane while being whipped left-handed, was right with Quip coming off the bend, but weakened in the closing yards. PLAINSMAN, who was sixth, broke slowly, was caught behind a wall of horses in traffic early on the first turn, remained bottled up into the backstretch, made some progress three furlongs out to split horses and get to the two path, started to be outrun nearing the quarter pole, then yielded through the lane. He’s obviously not this good, but he showed enough try here to think if he’s sensibly campaigned he could do just fine. DREAM BABY DREAM, who was seventh, lacked speed and trailed early while hugging the rail, angled out and was in the two path on the far turn, got within hailing distance of the leaders but lacked a sufficient rally. BEAUTIFUL SHOT, who was eighth, was just behind the leaders while saving ground around the first turn, followed Magnum Moon up the backstretch and around the far turn, was asked aggressively early on the far turn but was done by the quarter pole. He needs a shorter trip. MACHISMO, who finished last of nine, appeared to hit the side of the gate and then was bumped by Tenfold, went into the first turn just behind the leaders while between Beautiful Shot and Tenfold, was under a ride a half-mile out to try and hold his position, checked in traffic nearing the far turn while being outrun, then stopped badly.