After hitting the winners of the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Saudi Cup and San Felipe Stakes this year, Michelle Yu offers her best bets for the Arkansas Derby 2025 at Oaklawn Park
After hitting the winners of the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Saudi Cup and San Felipe Stakes this year, Michelle Yu offers her best bets for the Arkansas Derby 2025 at Oaklawn Park
Another opportunity to be in the Run for the Roses will be on the line at the 2025 Arkansas Derby on Saturday. The annual race at Oaklawn Park is awarding Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale, giving top finishers a shot at racing on the first Saturday in May. Mystik Dan placed third at the Arkansas Derby a year ago before being the longshot winner at Churchill Downs, and nine 2025 Arkansas Derby horses will try to follow in his steps when they enter the 2025 Arkansas Derby field. Bob Baffert trainee Cornucopian is the 7-5 favorite in the 2025 Arkansas Derby odds.
Sandman (3-1), Coal Battle (7-2) and Publisher (6-1) round out the top four favorites in the Arkansas Derby 2025, which has a post time of 7:48 p.m. ET. With talented three-year-olds set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you’ll want to see what Santa Anita-based racing reporter and insider Michelle Yu has to say before making any 2025 Arkansas Derby picks.
Few people in racing are as well-connected as Yu. An on-air host and reporter who has provided racing analysis for TVG, HRTV and the Breeders’ Cup, Yu has spent a lifetime in racing. Prior to her television career, she worked for trainers Steve Asmussen and Ron Moquett. She also is married to Santa Anita-based trainer Ryan Hanson.
Yu also has tremendous handicapping chops. In the last two years, Yu nailed the winners of the Pegasus World Cup, Santa Anita Derby, Apple Blossom Handicap, Met Mile, Breeders’ Cup Classic, Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Saudi Cup, and San Felipe Stakes, among others. She also nailed the race-day result of the Kentucky Derby in 2021 and 2023. Anyone who has followed her on these picks is way up.
Now, Yu has handicapped the 2025 Louisiana Derby lineup, made her picks and constructed her best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2025 Arkansas Derby predictions
One surprise: Yu is fading Cornucopian, even though he is the betting favorite at 7-5. The Baffert-trained colt won his maiden race, which also took place at Oaklawn Park. However, that is the only race on his resume. Now, Cornucopian will face an experienced field in addition to coming out of the gate on the outside.
“Having watched him work regularly, I won’t leave him off my tickets, but he’s not a lock, and 7-5 is short,” Yu told SportsLine. You can see all of Yu’s 2025 Arkansas Derby bets here.
How to make 2025 Arkansas Derby picks
Instead, Yu’s top pick is a horse who is a “big strider who needs to be cleanly engaged earlier.” She is including this horse in her 2025 Arkansas Derby bets, and so should you. She’s sharing which 2025 Arkansas Derby horses to back at SportsLine.
So who wins the 2025 Arkansas Derby? And which horse shocks at Oaklawn Park? Visit SportsLine to see Yu’s picks for the Arkansas Derby 2025, all from the Santa Anita-based racing insider who nailed the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and find out.
2025 Arkansas Derby odds, contenders
| Horse | Odds | Picks |
| Brereton’s Baytown | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| First Division | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Publisher | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Bestfriend Rocket | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Speed King | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Sandman | 3-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Monet’s Magic | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Coal Battle | 7-2 | SEE PICKS |
| Cornucopian | 7-5 | SEE PICKS |