Three-year-olds get only a few more chances to throw themselves into the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) spotlight with three races this weekend and one on the 19th. The 1 1/8 mile, $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. II) has drawn a full field of fourteen hoping to squeeze their way into the Derby field, limited to 20 starters ranked in order of graded stakes earnings. Several horses are vying for favoritism in this event at Oaklawn Park.

Liberty Bull, a Tom Amoss-trainee, won the WinStar Derby by two lengths last time out, and before that dead heated for the show in Oaklawn's Southwest Stakes (Gr. III). He is a consistent colt with three wins in six starts, but desperately needs graded stakes earnings.

Blackberry Road is a talented sort with an unbelievable and not often discussed pedigree. By Gone West, he is out of Strawberry Reason, making him a half to Two-Year-Old Champion Vindication and a nice horse on the Trail a few years ago, Scipion. David Carroll trains Blackberry Road, who is only one for nine lifetime, but his resume includes losses to Z Fortune, Kodiak Kowboy, Wicked Style, and Anak Nakal. Last out, Blackberry Road was 4th in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) behind Pyro.

My Pal Charlie has been mentioned seriously when discussing this year's Derby contenders. A full brother to the star sprinter Bwana Charlie, My Pal Charlie was second ahead of Blackberry Road in the Louisiana Derby. Al Stall trains and Julien Leparoux will ride. Before that race at the in March, My Pal Charlie won a January maiden and a February allowance race going a mile, all three starts coming at the Fair Grounds.

Steve Asmussen brings a heavy hand in this race with three starters. King's Silver Son may be the best of all of them. The handsome son of Mizzen Mast is coming off a second place finish, beaten three lengths by the now injured Sierra Sunset, in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, Oaklawn's prep for this race. The flashy gray colt broke his maiden in the start before that by 3 1/2 going 1 mile, and has a frustrated five seconds to his name in seven starts. His stablemate Z Fortune is one of the hyped contenders of the winter, winning his first three starts and then finishing second in the Risen Star Stakes. He was fifth in the Rebel last out. Asmussen will also start longshot Ablaze With Spirit who was third in the WinStar Derby last out.

Four California shippers dot the field. Victory Pete broke his maiden going one mile on the turf and has since lost to names like Yankee Bravo, Colonel John, and El Gato Malo. Indian Sun has been a hard knocking colt all spring, and the Dan Hendricks-trainee will be making his fifth start of the year here, with his two wins in eight starts both coming on the turf. Tres Borrachos is a talented sort who last out finished third in the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III), but broke his maiden at 1 1/16 miles over Medjool, who is entered in another Derby prep race this weekend. Gayego is perhaps the best of the bunch, finishing second last out behind Georgie Boy in the San Felipe Stakes, in which he was flattered by the third place finisher of that race, Bob Black Jack, running a huge one in the Santa Anita Derby last weekend. Mike Smith, who swept Oaklawn's big stakes last weekend, will ride.

Golden Yank, three for five lifetime; Shekinah, coming off an allowance win by three at Oaklawn; Isabull, third in the Rebel Stakes; and Jazz in the Park round out the field. Jazz in the Park last out won an allowance at the Fair Grounds defeating Riely Tucker, who came back to be second in last weekend's Translyvania Stakes.