Champion Essential Quality Draws The Rail For 2021 Debut In Southwest Stakes Sponsored by: Essential Quality schools in the paddock at Oaklawn Park Oaklawn's four-race Kentucky Derby points series, specifically the Rebel and Arkansas Derby, is littered with starters who were Eclipse Award winners at 2. A third race has finally drawn a champion, too. Godolphin LLC's Essential Quality, the country's champion 2-year-old male, will make his 2021 debut in Saturday's $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles. The Southwest anchors an 11-race program that begins at 12:15 p.m. (Central). Probable post time for the Southwest, which goes as race 10, is 4:58 p.m. The Southwest will offer 17 points to the top four finishers (10-4-2-1, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.