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Kentucky Derby prep: Arkansas Derby standout speed figures

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Kentucky Derby prep: Arkansas Derby standout speed figures


The Kentucky Derby 2025 trail stops at Oaklawn for the final time Saturday for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles. Nine 3-year-old colts have entered for the 100-50-25-15-10 points available to the top five finishers.

The Arkansas Derby is one of the most important preps, producing eight Kentucky Derby winners since 1983. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah used the Hot Springs strip as the launchpad for his historic campaign in 2015. Last year, Mystik Dan finished third behind Muth before holding off Sierra Leone and Forever Young to win the 150th Kentucky Derby.

This year’s field includes Coal Battle, winner of the Rebel (G2), and Speed King, the Southwest Stakes (G3) winner. Bob Baffert has the impressive maiden winner Cornucopian in the mix for his second career start. Sandman, runner-up in both the Southwest and Rebel, tries again at the stretchout. 

On the speed-figure scales, Cornucopian is far and away the fastest in the field. The Into Mischief colt has triple-digit figures across the board. He received a 101 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form for his debut win, and the next fastest in the field is a 93 from Speed King. He shares the highest TimeformUS figure, 120, with Speed King. The next-highest Brisnet Speed Rating after his 100 is a 98 from Coal Battle. His 128 Horse Racing Nation speed figure is 10 points faster than the next fastest, a 118 from Coal Battle.

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With dominant speed ratings it is a no-brainer for connections to step him up to stakes company in his second start. But Cornucopian had the race all his way in that maiden special weight, and experienced runners here could give him all he can handle.

Here are the top lifetime speed figures for the Arkansas Derby entrants.

Post Horse Beyer* TFUS* Brisnet HRN
   1 Brereton’s Baytown  72   96   88 101
   2 First Division  82   97   85 106
   3 Publisher  92 110   93 112
   4 Bestfriend Rocket  82   94   85 106
   5 Speed King  93 120   92 113
   6 Sandman  92 114   95 119
   7 Monet’s Magic  84 109   90 106
   8 Coal Battle  91 114   98 118
   9 Cornucopian 101 120 100 128

 

*Beyer and TimeformUS are presented courtesy of Daily Racing Form.



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Arkansas

No. 1 Arkansas leads SEC Indoor after first day finals

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No. 1 Arkansas leads SEC Indoor after first day finals



COLLEGE STATION – A victory in the 5,000m by Nick Busienei and third place in the distance medley relay had No. 1 Arkansas leading the team score with 18 points on the first day of the SEC Indoor Championships.

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The Razorbacks produced 12 of those points in the 5,000m as Nick Busienei won the race in a meet record of 13;31.86, which ranks him No. 7 on the UA all-time list. Busienei bettered the meet record of 13:37.52 set by Razorback Patrick Kiprop in 2025.

James Sankei added two more points in placing seventh with a time of 13:44.57.

Dating back to 1992 when Arkansas competed in its first SEC Indoor meet, Busienei claimed the 21st title for the program and is the 14th Razorback to win the indoor 5,000m.

Six more points were added in the distance medley relay as Arkansas posted a time of 9:30.84 from the foursome of Owan Logorodi (2:58.46), Zyaire Nuriddin (46.51), Julian Carter (1:49.10), and Brian Masai (3:56.77).

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South Carolina won the race in 9:30.08 with Ole Miss runner-up in 9:30.34. Florida originally placed third in 9:30.37 but was disqualified for spiking the baton at the conclusion of the race.

Jelani Watkins led the Razorback crew in the 200m prelims as three Arkansas sprinters advanced to the final. Watkins produced an indoor career best of 20.42 rank second overall to a 20.38 by Florida’s Wayna McCoy. Watkins remains No. 2 on the UA all-time list as he improved his previous time of 20.43.

Dapriest Hogans followed with a 20.63 that equaled his career best and his No. 8 ranking on the UA all-time list. Tevijon Williams clocked 20.65 to reach the final where 20.71 was the cutoff time. Jamarion Stubbs ran 20.87 in his prelim heat.

Cooper Williams completed the first day of the heptathlon in sixth place with 2,862 points. He started with a 7.43 in the 60m (736), then added a 21-9.5 (6.64) long jump (729). In the shot put, a mark of 36-8.25 (11.18) picked up 557 points. Williams wrapped up day one by topping the field in the high jump with a clearance of 6-8.25 for 840 points.

Link Lindsey placed 15 in the long jump with a mark of 23-6.75 (7.18).

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The wall goes back up: Arkansas embraces defiant isolation

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The wall goes back up: Arkansas embraces defiant isolation


“Arkansans have been made better economically, intellectually and socially by letting go of the ‘terrified truculence’ toward outsiders in recent decades. Sadly, as we’ve experienced this sad winter, all signs are that many similar seasons of defiant isolation are in our state’s future,” writes political scholar Jay Barth.



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Man arrested in Arkansas connected to Jan. 2026 fatal hit-and-run in Dallas

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Man arrested in Arkansas connected to Jan. 2026 fatal hit-and-run in Dallas


Authorities in Arkansas have arrested a man accused of being behind the wheel during a January car crash that left one man dead.

Suspect arrested in Arkansas for Dallas hit-and-run

What we know:

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U.S. Marshals tracked down 22-year-old Enrique Hernandez in De Queen, a southwest Arkansas town about three hours away from Dallas and an hour north of Texarkana.

Hernandez has been charged with collision involving death, a second-degree felony, in connection with the case. He is currently being held in an Arkansas jail before he is transferred to a jail in Dallas County.

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What we don’t know:

Dallas police haven’t said if the suspect has any ties to the victim or the area of Arkansas where he was arrested.

The backstory:

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The fatal hit-and-run occurred around 3 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 11 near W. Davis St. and N. Westmoreland Dr. in Dallas.

26-year-old Johnathan Rodriguez was dropped off by friends outside his Dallas neighborhood early Sunday morning after celebrating his birthday.

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Surveillance video shows Rodriguez in the media area of the road when a dark-colored SUV hits him and drives away.

Rodriguez was left with severe head trauma, later dying from his injuries.

A bittersweet victory for the family

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What they’re saying:

John Rodriguez, the victim’s father, struggled to find the words to describe the news he received.

“It’s not going to bring him back, bring my son back,” Rodriguez told FOX 4’s Peyton Yager. “It hurts every day, every minute. I wake up every morning, and he is not here. We are really going to miss him.”

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The Rodriguez family worked with police to help find their son’s killer. They found more surveillance video near the scene of the accident that helped authorities find and arrest Hernandez in Arkansas.

“We are going to fight for justice. Long live Johnny, and we are going to keep on fighting,” Rodriguez said.

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The Source: Information in this story came from current and previous FOX 4 reporting.

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