Kentucky-bred Renegade is the 3-2 favorite and Silent Tactic is the 5-2 second choice in the $1.5 million Arkansas Debry (G1) on March 28 at Oaklawn Park. The Arkansas Derby will award 200 total points to its top five finishers (100-50-25-15-10, respectively) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
Renegade is trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and is owned in partnership by Robert and Lawana Low and Repole Stable. The Lows also bred Renegade. A son of Into Mischief, Renegade hasn’t started since winning the Sam F. Davis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 7, at Tampa Bay Downs. Renegade closed his 2-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish in the Remsen Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles Dec. 6, at Aqueduct.
Kentucky-bred Silent Tactic (pictured) is trained by Mark Casse. Silent Tactic won the Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn on Feb. 6. He returned to finish second to Class President in the $1 million Rebel S. (G2) on March 1. Silent Tactic races in the colors of John Oxley. The son of Tacitus was bred in the Bluegrass by Don Alberto Corporation.
Grade 2 winner Litmus Test is 5-1 on the morning-line for trainer Bob Baffert. Winner of the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) as a juvenile, Litmus Test finished third in the Rebel last time out. Owned by a partnership headed by SF Racing and Starlight Racing, Litmus Test, a son of Nyquist, was bred in Kentucky Machmer Hall.
Kentucky-breds Prominent in Arkansas Derby
Blackout Time and Napoleon Solo are both listed at 6-1 on the morning-line. The former finished second in last year’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. He made his seasonal bow in the Rebel, finishing fourth for trainer Ken McPeek. The son of Not This Time was bred in Kentucky by Newstead Corp and is owned by BR Thoroughbreds Inc., Lance Gasaway, and Magdalena Racing.
Napoleon Solo captured last year’s Champagne S. (G1) during the Belmont at the Big A Meet. Trained by Chad Summers for Gold Square LLC, Napoleon Solo finished fifth in the Fountain of Youth S. (G2) in his first start of the 2026. John Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock bred in the son of Liam’s Map in Kentucky.
The Arkansas Derby field from the rail out: Redland Rebels, Keith Asmussen to ride, 15-1 on the morning line; Silent Tactic, Cristian Torres, 5-2; Blackout Time, Brian Hernandez Jr., 6-1; Bricklin (KY), Jaime Torres, 20-1; Taptastic (KY), Erik Asmussen, 20-1; Renegade, Irad Ortiz Jr., 3-2; Napoleon Solo, Kendrick Carmouche, 6-1; Exosome (KY), Adam Beschizza, 20-1; and Litmus Test, Francisco Arrieta, 5-1. Napoleon Solo, a Grade 1 winner at 2, was a supplemental nominee.