Heavy hitters eyeing return in Southwest Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The Southwest could be one of the most important preps on this year’s road to the Kentucky Derby.

The Grade 3, $750,000 race will be run Feb. 15 at Oaklawn Park, and horses under consideration for the race include Essential Quality and Jackie’s Warrior, who are Eclipse Awards finalists for champion 2-year-old male of 2020, and Keepmeinmind, winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Essential Quality won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November to remain undefeated in three career starts. His victories also include the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.

“Essential Quality is a possibility for the Southwest,” said trainer Brad Cox, who has a division at Oaklawn. “The Risen Star or the Southwest.”

Essential Quality is based at Fair Grounds, site of the Risen Star. The Godolphin homebred by Tapit worked over the New Orleans strip Sunday, going five-eighths in 1:01.40.

Jackie’s Warrior worked Monday at Fair Grounds, and also went five-eighths in 1:01.40.

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“The Southwest is his target,” said trainer Steve Asmussen, a 10-time title winner at Oaklawn. “He had his first five-eighths this week. He’s obviously an extremely talented horse that we expect to run well.”

Jackie’s Warrior is a two-time Grade 1 winner, having won last year’s Hopeful at Saratoga and Champagne at Belmont Park. Overall, the son of Maclean’s Music is 4 for 5 and is owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison

Keepmeinmind is based at Oaklawn with Robertino Diodoro, who won last year’s training title in Hot Springs. The horse worked five-eighths in a bullet 1:00 Tuesday under jockey David Cohen.

“I was very happy with his work,” Diodoro said. “He worked very strong, had a big gallop-out. He did it very nicely.”

Keepmeinmind won his maiden in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, one start after finishing a close third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He is a son of Laoban who races for Cypress Creek LLC and Arnold Bennewith.

“The Southwest is definitely on the radar, but you know, I always like to say, one day at a time with these horses,” Diodoro said. “The big thing is keeping him healthy and happy. The Southwest is what we’re pointing for – we’re taking it one day at a time.”

Oaklawn’s series for 3-year-olds starts Friday with the Smarty Jones. The Southwest, at 1 1/16 miles, is the second of four Kentucky Derby points races at the meet. It will reward its first four finishers on a scale of 10-4-2-1.

Essential Quality leads his peers in points for the Kentucky Derby with 30, while Keepmeinmind ranks second with 18 and Jackie’s Warrior is fourth with 12.