The $100,000 King Cotton is the Saturday feature at Oaklawn Park and note it's slotted a little earlier on the card, going as the seventh on a nine-race program. It is sunny and in the mid-30s in Hot Springs, Ark. There are two scratches from the King Cotton: Sightforsoreeyes (7) and Dan the Go to Man (10). 

Heartwood figures to go favored in the King Cotton, a six furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up. He was third in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream Park in his last start Dec. 22 and before that ran second in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap at Aqueduct. 

"I think he’ll run a big race," said co-owner and trainer James Chapman. "He’s ready to go, doing well. We had a little break. He had an abscess out of the Florida race." 

As part of Heartwood's prep work for the King Cotton, he drilled six furlongs in 1:10 at the Thoroughbred Training Center in Lexington, Ky., on Jan. 27.  

"He had a really good work with a couple of horses in front of him - worked really good," said Chapman. "We're ready to go."

Wilbo won the King Cotton a year ago, and will break from the rail Saturday. 

"We've got to deal with the rail," said trainer Chris Hartman. "I'm not super-stoked about the rail. It is what it is. I would prefer to be a little further out." 

For a complete preview of the King Cotton and more on Wilbo from Hartman: https://www.drf.com/track-news/top-news/heartwood-heads-out-of-towners-in-king-cotton-456993