Vivar should enjoy a little extra distance in Southwest

Trainer Brad Cox will be represented in two of the richest races in the country on Saturday, one of which is at Oaklawn.

Vivar goes in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes on the same day stablemate Knicks Go runs in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.

Vivar is part of a 12-horse field for the Southwest, which offers Kentucky Derby points to its first four finishers on a scale of 10-4-2-1. The race will be supported by both the $200,000 Martha Washington, a Kentucky Oaks points race that drew Cox trainee Como Square, and the $150,000 Hot Springs that serves as a rematch between Hollis and Nashville.

Vivar closed from well back for fifth in the 13-horse Smarty Jones in his last start Jan. 1 at Oaklawn. He finished 3 1/4 lengths behind winner Dash Attack in the mile race, which ended at the sixteenth pole and was run in the slop. Earlier in his career, Vivar was an entry-level allowance winner at Keeneland going the same 1 1/16-mile distance as the Southwest.

“I think he’ll run well,” Cox said. “He needs to step up. He’ll enjoy a mile and a sixteenth more than the mile in the Smarty Jones.

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“We’re going to add some blinkers. I don’t know if it will change his running style. We’ll see if it helps him a little bit.”

Florent Geroux has the mount from post 12 for breeder and owner Shortleaf Stable.

The complete Southwest field from the rail with riders is: Ben Diesel, Jon Court; Dash Attack, David Cohen; Don’tcrossthedevil, Ramon Vazquez; Kavod, Francisco Arrieta; Costa Terra, Tiago Pereira; Osbourne, David Cabrera; Ignitis, Luis Contreras; Barber Road, Ricardo Santana Jr.; Classic Moment, Martin Garcia; Newgrange, John Velazquez; Call Me Jamal, Geovanni Franco; and Vivar.

There are three stakes winners in the race: Newgrange, winner of the Grade 3 Sham on Jan. 1 at Santa Anita; Dash Attack, who captured the $250,000 Smarty Jones; and Kavod, winner of the Advent at Oaklawn.

The forecast is for sunny skies and a high of 57 degrees, according to AccuWeather. The Southwest is slotted as the ninth race on an 11-race card that has a special first post of noon Central.

Velazquez will be aboard Como Square in the Martha Washington, which rewards its first four finishers with Kentucky Oaks points on a scale of 10-4-2-1. Como Square is making her stakes debut after winning the first two races of her career. She’s a half-sister to last year’s Smarty Jones winner, Caddo River, and races for breeder Shortleaf Stable.

The Martha Washington drew a field of six. It’s the first of the stakes as race 4. Secret Oath could go favored over multiple stakes winner Optionality. The Hot Springs is slotted as the 10th race Saturday.