How many races do I need to get to the Kentucky Derby? How many races do I need to get to the Arkansas Derby? And what’s the best scenario to do it?”īen Diesel exits a fourth-place finish in the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. “What I’m seeing, trainers do this even for Breeders’ Cup, they work backwards. “I think now, it’s boom, boom, boom,” Pope said. 17 at Remington Park and the inaugural $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes last Sunday at Fair Grounds. Strong interest in the Smarty Jones comes on the heels of two other recent 17-point Kentucky Derby preps – $400,000 Springboard Mile Stakes Dec. Fair Grounds-based trainer Dallas Stewart, who has a small string at Oaklawn, is scheduled to be represented by Ben Diesel. Trainer Kenny McPeek nominated five and entered Dash Attack. Trainer Brad Cox nominated 14 and entered program favorite Home Brew and Vivar. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen nominated 21 horses to the Smarty Jones and entered three – All in Sync, Cairama and Cool Papa G.
Smarty jones upgrade#
Oaklawn’s totalisator system can accommodate 14 wagering interests after an upgrade for the 2017 meeting. The projected 14-horse Smarty Jones field from the rail out: Dash Attack, David Cohen to ride, 117 pounds, 12-1 on the morning line All in Sync, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 8-1 Home Brew, Florent Geroux, 119, 3-1 Kavod, Francisco Arrieta, 119, 5-1 Ignitis, Luis Contreras, 117, 15-1 Bureau, David Cabrera, 117, 12-1 Ruggs, Julien Leparoux, 117, 10-1 Vivar, Martin Garcia, 119, 8-1 Don’tcrossthedevil, Lane Luzzi, 117, 10-1 Barber Road, Reylu Gutierrez, 117, 4-1 Cairama, Geovanni Franco, 117, 8-1 Cool Papa G, Ramon Vazquez, 117, 6-1 Immoral, Tiago Pereira, 117, 20-1 and Ben Diesel, Jon Court, 117, 5-1. “The fact that Louis wanted to put more money in, all those things tremendously helped the race.” “Not that the Smarty Jones is new, the placement of the Smarty Jones is new,” Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope said moments after Tuesday’s post position draw for the race.
If the field remains intact, it will be the largest in race history, eclipsing 12 starters in 2008, 20. The Smarty Jones, inaugurated in 2008, drew a record 98 nominees. In addition to the revamped schedule, Oaklawn President Louis Cella boosted the purse of the Smarty Jones from $150,000 to $250,000 and the Arkansas Derby from $1 million to a record $1.25 million, keeping it the country’s richest Kentucky Derby prep race.
The Arkansas Derby is still in April, but it now falls five weeks before the Kentucky Derby after being three weeks since 1996. The Smarty Jones previously had been run in mid to late January, Southwest in mid to late February and the Rebel in mid to late March. 26 and Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 2 were all moved up on the calendar. 3 opening was the earliest in Oaklawn history and more than a month before traditional dates – the Smarty Jones, Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. Coinciding with an expanded 2021-2022 schedule – the Dec. What’s different in 2022 is the timing of those races. The Smarty Jones is Oaklawn’s first of four Kentucky Derby points races, with 17 up for grabs to the top four finishers (10-4-2-1, respectively).
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