Long Range Toddy among nine entered in the Smarty Jones Stakes on Oaklawn's opening day
Long Range Toddy, who has won back-to-back stakes races, will break from the rail in a field of nine for the $150,000 Smarty Jones next Friday at Oaklawn Park. The race is the opening-day feature for the 57-date meet.
Oaklawn is opening and closing a few weeks later than usual this year, with the season to wrap up May 4.
The Smarty Jones carries eligibility points for the Kentucky Derby. The first four finishers will earn them on a scale of 10-4-2-1.
Long Range Toddy picked up 10 points last month for winning the $400,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park. Before that race, he captured the track’s $100,000 Clever Trevor and a maiden special weight. Richard Eramia was aboard for the three wins and has the mount again in the Smarty Jones for owner Willis Horton and trainer Steve Asmussen.
Asmussen has two other starters in the Smarty Jones. He will saddle Bankit, the Springboard Mile runner-up who drew post 7 and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., and Boldor, a maiden winner at Keenland who drew post 5 and will be ridden by Ramon Vazquez.
The Smarty Jones will be run at a mile, with the race ending at the sixteenth pole. The forecast for Friday is for partly cloudy skies and a high of 47 degrees, according to The Weather Channel.
The complete field for the Smarty Jones, from the rail with riders, is: Long Range Toddy, Eramia; Sleepy Eyes Todd, David Cabrera; Super Steed, Terry Thompson; Six Shooter, Stewart Elliott; Boldor, Vazquez; Forloveofcountry, Joe Bravo; Bankit, Santana; Gray Attempt, Shaun Bridgmohan; Jack Van Berg, Jon Court.
"You've got quality in there," said Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope.
Gray Attempt won the Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds last month for trainer Jinks Fires, and Six Shooter is coming off a victory in the Big Drama at Delta Downs for trainer Paul Holthus.
Pope said 99 horses drew into nine races for opening day, for an average of 11 horses per race. There are five also-eligibles in various races.
First post is 12:35 p.m. Central.
