Steve Davidowitz's Smarty Jones Stakes analysis

$150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes; 1 mile; Oaklawn Park; Jan. 20
(10 Kentucky Derby eligibility points to the winner, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth.)

Tanzanite Cat, a son of 2000 Arkansas Derby winner Graeme Hall, proved best at 9-1 in this one mile stakes after taking the lead from Walt on the first turn and then settling into a stalking position a length behind that rival on the backstretch. While Walt held the lead under pressure to the top of the stretch, Tanzanite Cat moved up to challenge leaving the final turn and finally edged away approaching the furlong pole to score by 1 1/4 lengths in a moderate 1:38.69 clocking for the distance.

Walt, third choice at nearly 6-1, gamely battled the winner, but Tanzanite Cat had a smoother stride and finished with more energy to suggest he could be a legit contender in the 1 1/16-mile, $300,000 Southwest on Feb. 17. He will however, need to take another step forward to be a serious threat in the 1 1/16-mile, $600,000 Rebel Stakes on March 15 and/or the nine-furlong, $1 million Arkansas Derby, April 12.

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

Coastline, the only stakes winner in the Smarty Jones, was a non-threatening third virtually every step of the way in a disappointing effort at 6-5.

Son of a Preacher finished fourth without posing a challenge, but fifth-place finisher Fire Starter raced in spots and made a positive visual impression after the race was over.

Next to last entering the first turn, Fire Starter bothered A Step Ahead while swinging very wide. He then moved up gradually on the backstretch and through the far turn while in traffic, only to race evenly through the stretch. Yet, he leveled off nicely a stride past the wire to gallop out strongly and easily pass Tanzanite Cat less than 100 yards after the finish. Such a flashy post-race move by a young, lightly raced horse often hints at a better performance down the road.

The winner, trained by red-hot Cody Autrey, was making his third career start and first around two turns. He debuted in August at Del Mar with a respectable third when favored in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden sprint and hinted at further development when much the best over maidens in a 5 ½-furlong race taken off the grass at the Fair Grounds, Dec. 8. Tanzanite Cat was confidently ridden in the Smarty Jones by Norberto Arroyo Jr., who is off to his own hot start at Oaklawn.

The rest of the field, including Walt and Coastline, will need to show much more to handle the winner and possibly Fire Starter should they meet again.

Indianapolis to stretch out in next start

Indianapolis, a Bob Baffert-trained son of Medaglia d’Oro earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure winning a minor six-furlong sprint stakes at Santa Anita on Monday. Baffert said he now will look to stretch out this unbeaten colt and test him in a two-turn Kentucky Derby prep race next month.

Next: Grade 2, $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes, 1 1/16 miles, Gulfstream Park, Jan 25.