Gray Attempt holds on to take Smarty Jones

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Gray Attempt picked up 10 eligibility points for the Kentucky Derby on Friday, when he conquered two turns in his first attempt in the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park. He won by a neck over Long Range Toddy, while it was another neck back to Boldor in third.

The Smarty Jones was the first of four Kentucky Derby points races scheduled for the Oaklawn meet that opened Friday on a crisp, sunny afternoon with temperatures in the 40s. The estimated attendance was 20,000. The remaining points races at Oaklawn are the Southwest, Rebel, and Arkansas Derby.

Gray Attempt ($6.40) was stretching out to a mile for the Smarty Jones following his win in the six-furlong Sugar Bowl Stakes on Dec. 22 at Fair Grounds. He broke sharply from his outside gate in post 8 and had a clear lead going into the first turn, setting fractions of 23.12 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.86 for the half-mile, and 1:11.01 for six furlongs. Gray Attempt had enough in the stretch to hold off a pair of Steve Asmussen-trained challengers in Long Range Toddy, who made a bid up the rail after tracking the pace, and Boldor. The winner covered the distance in the race that ended at the sixteenth pole in 1:36.94.

Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard for trainer Jinks Fires.

"He left there like we thought he would," Fires said.

"We're staying right here, and if everything goes well, we'll go in the Southwest."

The Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest is Feb. 18.

Gray Attempt gave his owner, Dwight Pruett, and Fires a second win in the Smarty Jones behind Discreetness in 2016. Gray Attempt earned $90,000 for his win Friday, his third straight victory after winning a maiden special weight sprint Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs, then taking the Sugar Bowl. He is a son of Graydar.

Long Range Toddy earned four points to go with the 10 he picked up last month for his win in the $400,000 Springboard Mile. Boldor earned two points for his effort Friday, and Six Shooter, who was fourth, earned a point in the Smarty Jones.

Oaklawn opened its meet two weeks later than usual this year in order to avoid some of the winter weather, and the opener drew a large, enthusiastic crowd. Racing resumes Saturday.