Arkansas Derby 2013: Winner, Leaderboard and Post-Race Analysis

Overanalyze came into the Arkansas Derby with the third-best odds for victory. He crossed the finish line as the Derby winner. 

Trainer Todd Pletcher got his 3rd overall win at Oaklawn Park as his horse dueled fellow contender Oxbow and then outpaced the rest for an easy victory.

With the win, Pletcher hit a new milestone at Oaklawn (per Racing Stats and Info):

Frac Daddy, Carve and Falling Sky finished second, third and fourth, respectively. 

Overanalyze had the outside cushion at first but didn’t look like it would be able to hold up down the stretch. However, the eye test proved wrong, as Rafael Bejarano and his horse blew by the field in the final turn.

With its Arkansas Derby victory, Overanalyze won $1 million and should shoot up the odds board for the Kentucky Derby in a few weeks.

2013 Arkansas Derby Leaderboard

Finish	Horse	Jockey	Trainer
1	Overanalyze	R. Bejarano	T. A. Pletcher
2	Frac Daddy	V. Lebron	K. G. McPeek
3	Carve	R. Santana, Jr.	S. M. Asmussen
4	Falling Sky	M. Garcia	J. Terranova
5	Oxbow	G. Stevens	D. Lukas
6	Den's Legacy	R. Albarado	B. Baffert
7	Divine Ambition	J. Graham	E. Reed
8	Texas Bling	C. Borel	D. Durham
9	Heaven's Runaway	I. Ocampo	J. Martin
10	War Academy	M. Smith	B. Baffert

Post-Race Analysis

War Academy, Bob Baffert’s best chance at an Arkansas Derby win, was capped the slight favorite headed into the race with Oxbow and Overanalyze close behind.

With that said, War Academy never really had a chance in this one, finishing far off the lead and having to pull up before the finish.

Baffert’s other entry, Den’s Legacy, entered the race with a 6-1 chance but finished well off the lead as well.

Oxbow got off to an inspiring start as the horses bent into the first turn but couldn’t hold serve as Overanalyze coasted down the stretch.

The horses and jockeys looked to straighten out the kinks before the Derby. Todd Pletcher and Co. will feel confident heading to Churchill Downs, while the those top contenders have a three-week climb ahead.

Mike Shiekman is a Breaking News Writer for Bleacher Report.

Follow @TheRealShiek