My Boy Jack faces fork in road in Southwest Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – My Boy Jack has talent, as evidenced by his maiden win in the Zuma Beach Stakes on turf last October at Santa Anita. But whether his niche will prove to be turf or dirt remains to be seen, and trainer Keith Desormeaux hopes to walk away with some insight following the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest Stakes on Monday.

The Southwest, at 1 1/16 miles on dirt, is a Kentucky Derby points race, with the first four finishers to earn points on a 10-4-2-1 basis. Entries will be drawn Friday, and as of Wednesday morning, Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope had a working list of eight to 10 starters. They are led by Derby Watch members Mourinho and Combatant, who ran one-two in last month’s Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn, and Sporting Chance, who will be making his first start since capturing the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga last summer.

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My Boy Jack was due to fly in Friday from Southern California. He switched to dirt for his most recent start, running third to McKinzie in the Grade 3 Sham on Jan. 6 at Santa Anita and earning a career-high 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I was encouraged with his last race, the way he contended with supposedly one of the top 3-year-olds in the country,” Desormeaux said.

“The verdict is not in on whether he’s a true dirt horse yet. To me, a true turf horse will give you a good race on the dirt in their first start on the main track, but it’s the second race that you really tell if he has an affinity for the dirt. We’ll know more after this start.”

Desormeaux said he is hopeful that My Boy Jack will take to the Oaklawn surface. Desormeaux won the $125,000 Fifth Season last month at Oaklawn with Sonneteer, who he said will travel with My Boy Jack and run in the Grade 3, $500,000 Razorback Handicap on Monday at Oaklawn.

My Boy Jack, a son of Creative Cause, races for Don’t Tell My Wife Stables and Monomoy Stables.

“He’s a big, rangy horse, still growing,” Desormeaux said. “As long as he progresses every race, I’m totally pleased. It doesn’t need to be leaps and bounds, and I know as the distances get longer he’ll be even more productive. Every sixteenth of a mile helps.”

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My Boy Jack won at a mile in the Zuma Beach and from there ran seventh, beaten just three lengths, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in November at Del Mar. He will be making his first start beyond a mile Monday.

Desormeaux said his brother Kent is scheduled to ride My Boy Jack and Sonneteer.

Other potential starters for the Southwest include Ezmosh, Kentucky Club, Promises Fulfilled, Retirement Fund, Road to Damascus, Seven Trumpets and Zing Zang.

Trainer Steve Asmussen worked his Southwest Stakes candidates this week at Oaklawn. Combatant breezed by himself on Wednesday, while Retirement Fund and Zing Zang were in action on Tuesday. The track Wednesday was sloppy and sealed. Combatant went a half-mile in 50.60 seconds right after the renovation break and came home his final quarter in 23.80, according to Oaklawn clocker Taylor Radimer.

The track Tuesday was fast. Zing Zang, who was fourth in the Grade 3 Lecomte last month at Fair Grounds, breezed a half-mile by himself in 50.60 seconds, with Oaklawn clockers getting his final quarter in 23.80 and catching him galloping out five-eighths in 1:02.

Retirement Fund, who is undefeated in two starts, also went a half-mile by himself in 49.40. Oaklawn clockers had his final quarter in 23.80 and had him galloping out five-eighths in 1:02.20.

– additional reporting by Jay Privman

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