Oaklawn Park: Top trio from Smarty Jones targeting Southwest

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tanzanite Cat, Walt, and Coastline, who finished 1-2-3 in the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park on Monday, are all being pointed to the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest on Feb. 17, their trainers said Tuesday. The 1 1/16-mile race is the second 3-year-old prep on the local road to the Arkansas Derby.

The series was off to a rousing start Monday, when Tanzanite Cat and Walt traded the lead early in the one-mile Smarty Jones and then battled into the stretch. Tanzanite Cat prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths in his first start against winners, and first at two turns.

“He delivered,” said Cody Autrey, who trains Tanzanite Cat for James and Ywachetta Driver.

“We were like everybody else in the race, trying to find out where we’re at with our 3-year-olds.”

Autrey said he liked Tanzanite Cat’s gallop-out in the Smarty Jones, and while going into the race he felt the horse might prove to be best up to a mile, he now will train him toward the Southwest. The Drivers and Autrey already have recent debut winner Paganol on deck for the Southwest.

“We’ll point both toward the Southwest and make a decision to run one, or both, if both are going good,” Autrey said.

Autrey said the Drivers, residents of Irving, Texas, began seriously investing in 2-year-olds in the last year. The couple, who in partnership have won owner titles at Fair Grounds and Lone Star, bought eight 2-year-olds last year. Of those, seven have raced and six have won, including a pair of maiden special weight winners at Del Mar, Guns Loaded and Rivers Run Deep.

Walt came into the Smarty Jones off a runner-up finish in the $250,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park on Dec. 15. He fought along the rail Monday and could add blinkers for the Southwest, trainer Chris Hartman said.

“He switched leads back and fourth coming down the lane,” Hartman said. “He may show up in blinkers next time to get him to focus better.”

There are other reasons Walt could move forward in the Southwest.

“I think I didn’t have him quite tight enough,” Hartman said. “He ran a huge race. He ran a heck of a race to the last 75 yards.”

Coastline, the Smarty Jones favorite making his first start since a troubled eighth in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot on Nov. 23, ran an even third, beaten 2 1/2 lengths. He will now target the Southwest, said trainer Mark Casse, who is back at Oaklawn with a division for the first time in decades.

“We gave him time after the start at Delta, and he could have been just a touch on the short side yesterday,” Casse said Tuesday. “We love the Hot Springs track, but it’s been a little more demanding on some of our horses. Getting a race over the track is a help going into the Southwest.”

Coastline won the Street Sense last year at Churchill.

The Southwest field also is expected to include Strong Mandate, the Hopeful winner who last out was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; Ride On Curlin, a recent allowance winner who was third in last year’s Champagne; Louie’s Flower, winner of the Springboard Mile; and multiple stakes winner Smack Smack.

Arkansas-bred star in Thursday

Jan’s Perfect Star, one of the top Arkansas-breds in training, will start as a strong favorite in Thursday’s second race. She is returning to the Arkansas-bred ranks for the second-level allowance sprint for fillies and mares one start after finishing third in the $61,000 Dream Supreme at Churchill. Calvin Borel has the mount for Iron Horse Racing and trainer Randy Morse.

Also on the card, Broken Spell makes her first start since Saratoga when she goes in the eighth race, a first-level allowance for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. Terry Thompson rides for Calumet Farm and trainer D. Wayne Lukas.