Smarty Jones, Kentucky Derby Points on the Line

The Smarty Jones Stakes will be ran this Saturday at Oaklawn Park on January 1. The Kentucky Derby Prep race will be one of the first Derby Points races ran in 2022 followed by the Sham (Santa Anita) and the Jerome (Aqueduct) all on the same day. The Smarty Jones will be ran on the Hot Springs, Arkansas Dirt and 14 competitors will race a mile for 10 derby points. The SJ Stakes will be 1 out of 4 Stakes Derby races that Oaklawn will host this year for derby points.

After winning last years Smarty Jones with Caddo River, Brad Cox sends out 2 in Vivar and Home Brew. Florent Geroux gets the call to ride Home Brew who looks to be the Morning Line Favorite with 2 wins in 3 starts. Cox’s other entree is the only horse in the field with Stakes experience and sits at the 3rd choice but could move up to Post Time favorite based on betting trends.

By Bloodhorse.com

Steve Asmussen nominated 21 of his horses for the Smarty Jones and got 3 entrants, All In Sync, Cairama, and Cool Papa G.

Looking at historical numbers for the Kentucky Derby, colts with top line pedigrees seem to bode well moving forward on the road to the Kentucky Derby. We have colts that fit that bill with sires from Into Mischief (Immoral), Street Sense (Home Brew), Nyquist (Ignitis), and Will Take Charge (Ben Diesel).
Also looking at the next Kentucky Derby winner, one always looks for an undefeated horse or a lighter raced horse, majority of these fit into the lighter race category but few fit the undefeated poll. Dash Attack, DontCrosstheDevil, and Immoral are coming in boasting undefeated records, with a plus for Immoral being a son of Into Mischief.

By TwinSpires

Post Positions / Horse / Jockey / Weight / Morning Line

1. Dash Attack, David Cohen to ride, 117 pounds, 12-1 on the morning line
2. All in Sync, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 8-1
3. Home Brew, Florent Geroux, 119, 3-1
4. Kavod, Francisco Arrieta, 119, 5-1
5. Ignitis, Luis Contreras, 117, 15-1
6. Bureau, David Cabrera, 117, 12-1
7. Ruggs, Julien Leparoux, 117, 10-1
8. Vivar, Martin Garcia, 119, 8-1
9. Don’tcrossthedevil, Lane Luzzi, 117, 10-1
10. Barber Road, Reylu Gutierrez, 117, 4-1
11. Cairama, Geovanni Franco, 117, 8-1
12. Cool Papa G, Ramon Vazquez, 117, 6-1
13. Immoral, Tiago Pereira, 117, 20-1
14. Ben Diesel, Jon Court, 117, 5-1

Check in on Saturday to get Bourbon and Horse Racing’s full betting guide for the Full Smarty Jones Stakes Day Card, as well Santa Anita (Sham) and Aqueduct (Jerome).