Oaklawn Park: No standout in Smarty Jones Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn’s path to the Arkansas Derby begins Monday with the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes, a one-mile race that had a potential field of seven or eight as of Wednesday.

The probables include Walt, a troubled fourth in last month’s Springboard Mile at Remington Park; D’cajun Cat, the third-place finisher in the Sugar Bowl Stakes at Fair Grounds in December; Fire Starter, a 10-length maiden special weight winner last out at Laurel; and Whyruawesome, the runner-up in the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity.

Others in the mix include Tanzanite Cat, who put up a Beyer Speed Figure of 81 for a maiden special weight sprint win last month at Fair Grounds, and two horses who last faced the promising Gold Hawk: Son of a Preacher and Unstoppable Colby.

The Smarty Jones kick-starts the local 3-year-old stakes series, which continues with the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest on Feb. 17, the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel on March 15, and the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 12. Monday’s race offers its first four finishers a total of 17 points on the new Kentucky Derby preference system administered by Churchill Downs.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Walt’s most recent start came in the Springboard Mile, which in 2012 produced the first and second finishers in the 2013 Smarty Jones in Will Take Charge and Texas Bling. The Dec. 15 race was Walt’s two-turn debut and followed his 9 3/4-length allowance win at Remington.

“I thought the horse ran a good race in the Springboard,” trainer Chris Hartman said. “He made a nice run after losing four to five lengths in the middle of the race. I was pleased with the race he ran.”

Hartman said Ken Tohill has the mount Monday.

D’cajun Cat, a debut winner at Churchill Downs last June, will be making his two-turn debut in the Smarty Jones. Trainer Steve Asmussen said the timing of the race suits D’cajun Cat, and he feels he will handle the distance. Asmussen said Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount.

Robby Albarado will be aboard Fire Starter, said trainer Steve Hobby. The horse dominated a maiden special weight race at a mile at Laurel in his most recent start Dec. 31, earning a career-high 78 Beyer.

Tanzanite Cat zipped to a four-length maiden win at Fair Grounds on Dec. 8, his second start, which followed a third-place finish to Rum Point in a maiden special weight at Del Mar in August. Norberto Arroyo Jr., the leading rider at Oaklawn, has the mount in the Smarty Jones, said Cody Autrey, the leading trainer at Oaklawn.

Unstoppable Colby is a go for the Smarty Jones, said trainer D. Wayne Lukas, while Son of a Preacher is possible, according to trainer Bret Calhoun.Calhoun also trains Springboard Mile winner Louies Flower, who is awaiting the Southwest Stakes. Smack Smack, a multiple stakes winner who was third in the Springboard, also is being pointed for the Southwest, according to trainer Don Von Hemel.Entries for the Smarty Jones will be taken Friday.

– additional reporting by Marcus Hersh