Smarty Jones Stakes

Notes:
Though not graded, the Smarty Jones Stakes offers its top four finishers 10-4-2-1 respective points in the new Kentucky Derby qualifying system. Texas Bling, the shocking 128-1 winner of the 300,000 Springboard Mile Stakes at Remington Park will try to prove that victory was no fluke for little-known trainer Danele Durham. Will Take Charge, who held second in the Springboard Mile after setting the pace, should be forwardly-placed again. The third-place finisher from the Remington stakes, Worldventurer, returned to win the Groovy S. at Sam Houston on Saturday evening to make for a potential key race angle. Southern California invader Avare, hero of the off-the-turf Eddie Logan S. at Santa Anita on 12/29, should contest the early lead with Will Take Charge and could wire the field. Officer son Officer Alex adds another furlong after winning the restricted Pennsylvania Nursery S. at Parx last month. King Henny, who was elevated to the top spot in the Big Drama S. at Delta Down on 1/5, also must prove he can handle the added ground. His previous attempt at this distance in the Springboard Mile was his only off-the-board finish in five starts. Brown Almighty returns from a ninth-place finish in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf and makes his dirt debut after five grass races, including a stakes score in the Sunny s Halo. Always in a Tiz was best-of-the-rest in the Traskwood Stakes behind Vyjack, who won the G2 Jerome S. in his next start. Arkansas-bred Best of Birdstone is another Springboard Mile alum, having finished 4 lengths behind Texas Bling in that contest. He has raced exclusively in stakes, taking the restricted Razorback Futurity in his debut then narrowly missing in the Clever Trevor. Stormy Holiday began his career with two victories then was a non-threatening fourth in the Bellamy Road Stakes at Delaware Park.


Smarty Jones Stakes is a horse racing event that is held at Oaklawn Park. It has a purse value of 100,000. 3 years old horse that can cover a distance of 8 furlong may participate in this race.