The field for the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park is beginning to take shape two weeks out from the main event, with one leading contender putting in a notable work on Saturday at Fair Grounds and another being ruled out of consideration from the race the same morning at Sam Houston Race Park.  The Southwest is a Kentucky Derby points race to be run over 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 28.  Jace’s Road worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 at his Fair Grounds base Saturday and is on target for the Southwest, said his trainer, Brad Cox. The horse is coming off a win in the $100,000 Gun Runner on Dec. 26, a 1 1/16-mile race at Fair Grounds for which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.  :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match and FREE Formulator PPs! Join DRF Bets. Cox said the timing of the Southwest made it the right fit for Jace’s Road. The horse is the barn’s top points-earner on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, ranking fourth overall with 13 points, according to rankings issued by Churchill Downs. Points for the top five finishers in the Southwest will be distributed on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis. “He had a good breeze,” Cox said. “I like what I’m seeing from him.”  The Sam Houston-based Wildatlanticstorm would have been a top contender in the Southwest off back-to-back stakes wins at Remington Park -- the $400,000 Springboard Mile for which he earned a Beyer of 94 on Dec. 17, and the Clever Trevor. Trainer Ray Ashford Jr. had the horse under serious consideration for the Southwest, and also had left open the option of a 3-year-old prep at Fair Grounds. But that has changed, he said Saturday.  “We’re on hold for a minute,” he said. “We have a little issue. He’ll have about 30 days off and we’ll reevaluate him 30 days from now.”  Wildatlanticstorm had his first work since the Springboard Mile on Jan. 6, going a half-mile in 51 seconds at Sam Houston. He is an imposing son of Stormy Atlantic – weighing over 1,200 pounds – and boasts a career record of 4 for 6.  Cox had another Southwest prospect work Saturday at Fair Grounds. Corona Bolt went five-eighths in 1:00.80 and is on deck for the race, the trainer said. Corona Bolt will be making his two-turn debut after winning the first two starts of his career, including the Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds with a Beyer of 97.  Cox said Hit Show, who won a first-level allowance at a mile Dec. 17 at Oaklawn with a Beyer of 82, also is being pointed for the Southwest. Hit Show is by Candy Ride and out of the Grade 2-winning mare Actress, who earned more than $500,000.  Cox won Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby points race of the meet Jan. 1, when Victory Formation improved his record to 3 for 3 in the $250,000 Smarty Jones. He is sixth on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard, with 10.  “He’s doing really good, will probably be on the work tab next weekend,” Cox said.  :: DRF Bets players have exclusive access to FREE DRF Past Performances - Classic or Formulator! Join today.  Among Victory Formation's three wins is a key allowance Nov. 26 at Churchill. He won the Smarty Jones one start later with a Beyer of 91 and third-place finisher Lugan Knight came back in his next start in the Jerome at Aqueduct.  Cox said Victory Formation is on pace to run next in either the $400,000 Risen Star at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds or the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel over 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25 at Oaklawn.  “He’s a horse that hopefully will improve with more ground,” said Cox. “The Risen Star is a mile and an eighth. We’ll see. Right now, it’s between those two races.”  Cox had another 3-year-old burst onto the scene Saturday afternoon, when Verifying won a conditioned allowance at Oaklawn in his first start since running a troubled sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He tracked the pace Saturday and went on to a 5 1/4-length win. Verifying covered a mile on a fast track in 1:37.23 and earning at 97 Beyer Speed Figure. (Later on the card, Ginobili won the Fifth Season for older horses at a mile in 1:37.35) Verifying is a son of Justify and a half-brother to champion Midnight Bisou.  Trainer Steve Asmussen had a notable 3-year-old winner on the same Saturday card at Oaklawn. Shopper’s Revenge pulled away by 5 1/4 lengths in a maiden special weight over 1 1/16 miles. The son of Tapit is out of Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner and $3 million earner Stopchargingmaria.  A second Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner, Pleasant Home, produced a maiden-special winner on the Saturday card at Oaklawn. Tales of Home won over six furlongs. She is a 4-year-old by Tale of Ekati. McPeek runners to Lecomte, Southwest  Trainer Kenny McPeek has a handful of promising 3-year-olds eyeing stakes in the region. He said Denington, who was third in the Smarty Jones, is scheduled to make his next start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte on Jan. 21 at Fair Grounds.  “His dam, Stronger Than Ever, won the Silverbulletday there as a 3-year-old,” said McPeek.  McPeek’s young talent was on display Dec. 31 at Oaklawn, when he won four races on a full card of races for 2-year-olds. McPeek said two of those winners are being pointed for the Southwest: Frosted Departure and Sun Thunder. Frosted Departure won the $150,000 Renaissance over six furlongs Dec. 31, with a Beyer of 82.  “He needs to show he wants to go farther than a sprint,” said McPeek. “We’ll give him one more chance to go longer.”  Sun Thunder won a maiden special weight on the same card, with a riveting move. He darted home 6 1/2 lengths in front and earned a Beyer of 77.  “He’s a powerful horse,” McPeek said. “This is a good next step for him. He’s a big, lovely horse. He’ll need to improve.”  McPeek had a pair fillies win on the Dec. 31 card. Defining Purpose captured the $150,000 Year's End and the trainer said she is now being pointed for the $200,000 Martha Washington, a Kentucky Oaks points race (also 20-8-6-4-2) on the undercard of the Southwest. Defining Purpose won the one-mile Year's End by 5 1/4 lengths and earned a Beyer of 79. McPeek trainee Dear Lady, who won a maiden-special sprint Dec. 31, is set to make her two-turn debut in Friday's eighth race at Oaklawn. It's a first-level allowance over 1 1/16 miles. In her maiden race, Dear Lady powered home by 3 1/2 lengths and earned a Beyer of 78. Cox said he looks to have a starter in the Martha Washington, but he has not yet determined the barn’s best candidate for the race. Olivia Twist, trained by Todd Fincher, worked toward the Martha Washington on Friday, going five furlongs in 1:02.60 at Oaklawn. She is an undefeated stakes winner and a half-sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Skippylongstocking. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.