Smarty Jones winner Gold Street one of three Asmussen has for Southwest

Trainer Steve Asmussen won a pair of 3-year-old stakes in the Mid-South last week when Gold Street took the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn on Friday and Rowdy Yates proved best in the $100,000 Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park on Sunday.

Gold Street was making his two-turn debut. Owned by Mike McCarty, he won his second stakes and earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 95.

“The Southwest is highly likely for him,” Asmussen said Tuesday of the Grade 3, $750,000 stakes Feb. 17 at Oaklawn.

Plans for Rowdy Yates are to be determined. He was winning his fourth stakes race in the Riley Allison.

“He just keeps winning,” Asmussen said. “I was very happy to see him finish up like that in a mile race. There’s a lot of options.”

Asmussen said Rowdy Yates will be based at Fair Grounds. The horse races for L and N Racing.

As for other notable 3-year-olds for the barn, the stakes winners Shoplifted and Silver Prospector are likely headed for the Southwest, Asmussen said Tuesday.

◗ Whoa Nellie emerged from her win in the $100,000 Pippin on Saturday at Oaklawn in good order and will point for the track’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bayakoa on Feb. 17, trainer Larry Jones said Tuesday. Whoa Nellie earned a career-high Beyer Figure of 92.

◗ The final three horses that were under quarantine at Remington Park due to a handful of positives for equine herpesvirus have been released, according to an update from the Equine Disease Communication Center. The meet ended Dec. 15.