HOT SPRINGS -- They came from everywhere.
California, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and up to Kentucky, and that was just the reporters who wanted to see whether the Oaklawn Park magic could continue.
A year ago American Pharoah prepped here for the Triple Crown, winning the Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby, then did something that some believed would never be done again: He won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, ending the 37-year Triple Crown drought.
Oaklawn being a major player in the Triple Crown goes back to 2004, when Smarty Jones campaigned here and went on to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown, and it has continued.
Which was why six trainers who had won the Arkansas Derby -- and a Triple Crown race -- had horses entered in the 80th Derby, with a purse of $1 million. Three of those trainers already have been inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame, although Bob Baffert, trainer of American Pharoah and Saturday's favorite Cupid, wasn't on hand.
Since his heart attack a few years ago, he doesn't travel as much.
The only thing he missed Saturday was a race that set up perfectly for the gray horse, just not his gray.
Gettysburg, a shipper, went for the lead from the 12 post, and Cupid dropped in behind him, but the opening fraction of 22.81 was going to take its toll within a mile.
The field settled in behind the Todd Pletcher-trained leader, but on the turn home Cupid made his move, only there was no passing gear, not Saturday.
Gettysburg's strategy was to win the race, but what it did was take the wind out of himself and Cupid, a $900,000 yearling purchase, setting it up for closers.
Whitmore, owned by Little Rock's Harry Rosenblum, moved first, but suddenly Creator was running like he was on jet fuel.
The Steve Asmussen-trained colt, whose only victory had been in a maiden race back in February at Oaklawn, was coming hard and fast down the middle of the track.
Suddenbreakingnews came after him, but he wasn't catching the son of Tapit, who is also the daddy of Cupid.
Asmussen was once again the leading trainer at Oaklawn, and Creator's jockey, Ricardo Santana Jr., who has been in the news recently for suspensions he will endure next season, had the feel. He knew what he had.
The finish was all Oaklawn. Creator has been training in the Spa City for almost three months.
Second was Suddenbreakingnews, winner of the Southwest Stake; Whitmore, who was second in the Southwest and Rebel, finished third.
The winner paid $25.20 and punched his ticket to the first Saturday in May in Louisville, Ky.
In the race before the Arkansas Derby, Steve Landers of auto fame saw his 3-year-old colt Big Changes win his second race in a row, an optional claiming allowance with a $79,000 purse.
Before that, Effinex showed what the big deal was when he exacted revenge on Melatonin in the 70th running of the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap.
The two met in the Santa Anita Handicap five weeks ago, and Melatonin pulled a stunning 16-1 upset victory by more than four lengths.
It was discovered after the race Effinex, the favorite then and Saturday, had shingles, although trainer James Jerkens refused to use it as an excuse.
Melatonin tried the same strategy of getting on the lead that he did at Santa Anita, but Effinex said from the get-go it wasn't going to be a repeat as he raced on the heels of the leader, took the lead down the stretch and picked up his fifth victory in his last nine starts.
Sports on 04/17/2016