Gold Street's speed big asset in Southwest Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – It’s good to be the top 3-year-old coming out of the Oaklawn Park meet.

Just ask Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex, Rachel Alexandra, or American Pharoah.

Gold Street leads the latest Oaklawn crop as the track’s highest-ranking member on Daily Racing Form’s initial Derby Watch. He will be going for his second stakes win at the meet Monday in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest and should start as a strong favorite over eight others. Gold Street has won his last three starts, owns an imposing last-race Beyer Speed Figure of 95, and has a chance to control the pace like he did in last month’s Smarty Jones.

“We do not plan on taking him back,” said trainer Steve Asmussen.

The Southwest is a 1 1/16-mile race that will award its first four finishers Kentucky Derby points on a scale of 10-4-2-1. It shares a card with two other Grader 3 offerings, the $500,000 Razorback Handicap and the $200,000 Bayakoa.

:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders with comments from Jay Privman and Marty McGee

Southwest Stakes (Race 9)

KEY CONTENDERS

Gold Street, by Street Boss

Last 3 Beyers: 95-85-79

◗ Gold Street might have yet another variable in his favor Monday. His streak has been built on wet tracks, and the Weather Channel is calling for a 40 percent chance of precipitation on an afternoon that could hit 70 degrees.

“He doesn’t mind rain, that’s for sure,” said Asmussen.

◗ Gold Street’s maiden win came in the slop in November at Churchill Downs and one start later he captured a wet Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds. He stretched out for the first time in the Smarty Jones, and was a 2 3/4-length winner of the mile race Jan. 24.

“Obviously, we’re very pleased with his first two-turn effort and that he’s going into the Southwest on a three-race win streak,” Asmussen said. “He has trained very nicely since the Smarty Jones.”

◗ Martin Garcia has the mount from post 4 for Mike McCarty.

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Chase Tracker, by Verrazano

Last 3 Beyers: 79-79-82

◗ He launches his season off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Remsen on Dec. 7 at Aqueduct, and his trainer, Todd Pletcher, likes how he’s matured from 2 to 3.

“I thought he ran a good, solid race,” Pletcher said. “The track was kind of speed favoring. He closed some ground in a good effort. He’s physically done well, filled out, and gained some weight. I’m pretty pleased with him.”

◗ Chase Tracker, who will get five pounds from Gold Street under the allowance conditions of the Southwest, breaks from post 6 under John Velazquez.

“He’s a horse that has tactical speed,” Pletcher said. “You can put him into a stalking-type position, or if there’s no pace, he’s capable of setting the pace.”

◗ Chase Tracker races for St. Elias Stable.

Silver Prospector, by Declaration of War

Last 3 Beyers: 82-82-79

◗ He closed for fourth in the Smarty Jones, a race that ended at the sixteenth pole. For the Southwest, he moves back to the distance of his win in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on Nov. 30 at Churchill.

“He’s accomplished at a mile and a sixteenth,” Asmussen said. “I think the mile and a sixteenth in the fall at Churchill was a very good indication the farther the races are, the better off he’ll be.”

◗ Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount from post 2 for Ed and Susie Orr.

Shoplifted, by Into Mischief

Last 3 Beyers: 85-85-65

◗ He was third in the Smarty Jones, run in the mud, one start after winning the $400,000 Springboard Mile on a fast track Dec. 15 at Remington Park.

“I thought he ran solid in the Smarty Jones,” said his trainer, Asmussen. “I don’t know if the off track hurt him. I don’t think it moved him up. Obviously, we’d like a shot with him over a fast surface.”

◗ Shoplifted was an $800,000 auction purchase who races for Cheyenne Stables, Grandview Equine, and LNJ Foxwoods.

“He’s a brilliant physical,” Asmussen said. “Just a beautiful horse.”

Answer In, by Dialed In

Last 3 Beyers: 85-83-68

◗ He was the favorite in the Springboard Mile last out and finished second by a head under Javier Castellano, who has the mount again Monday.

“I thought it was a very, very positive race,” said trainer Brad Cox. “I thought the first three finishers all ran an extremely good race. He had a little bit of trouble finding a clear path down the lane, dropped inside, showed some fight, dug in for second.

“He was narrowly defeated first time around two turns and I think he got a lot out of it. Hopefully, it sets us up well for the Southwest.”

◗ Answer In, who also gets five pounds from Gold Street, will break from post 9 for Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables.