Arkansas Derby 2011: Longshot ArchArchArch Wins, The Factor Finishes Off The Board

On Saturday, ArchArchArch scored a major upset over The Factor and the rest of the Arkansas Derby field. The horse, which had 25-to-1 odds at post time, managed to best his contenders at Oaklawn Park Race Track.

The results in Hot Springs, Arkansas, are as follows: ArchArchArch wins, with Nehro in second and Dance City, which had a little trouble getting into the gate, finishing second. The Factor, the favorite heading into the race, placed off the board entirely.

On Saturday at the Oaklawn Park Race Track, the weather doesn’t figure to get in the way of the Arkansas Derby. According to weather.com, the outlook is 67 and sunny in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

There are still no reported scratches for the Arkansas Derby, the 11th of 12 scheduled races at Oaklawn on Saturday, but Daily Racing Form is noting one change:

The 2011 Arkansas Derby features one horse attempt to establish itself as a Kentucky Derby contender and a whole host of others trying to take it down. If the Arkansas Derby odds are any indication, it’s a race for second, though a tight one at that. The Factor comes in as the overwhelming favorite, holding better than even odds, but is ripe for the upset in a field packed with quality challengers.

In his preview, Matt Gardner said The Factor likes to get out and run from the lead. If he’s able to jump into the lead early, it could just be a race for second at the Arkansas Derby. But with Nehro, Sway Away and Elite Alex all holding better than 10-1 odds, The Factor faces a field filled with pitfalls.

The final major race on the road to Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday as horses hit the track for the 2011 Arkansas Derby. With no clear favorite emerging ahead of the Kentucky Derby thus far, Saturday’s Arkansas Derby gives a few contenders a chance to establish themselves as contenders in the derby. It all gets started on Saturday afternoon, live from Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Here’s the information on Saturday’s race, which begins in the evening on the East Coast.

When Bob Baffert’s The Factor went gate-to-wire to win the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park last month he didn’t just dominate one of the key prep races on the road to the 2011 Kentucky Derby, he also proved he was capable of running as effectively at two-turns he had done when sprinting. But while his Rebel win was impressive, there are still those who question whether he possesses the stamina to win the biggest race in America. This Saturday’s Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in Hot Springs, Arkansas, (post time 5:58 Central) is another opportunity for The Factor to prove the doubters wrong.