HOT SPRINGS -- At least three colts currently stabled at Oaklawn Park are expected to begin their 3-year-old seasons in Oaklawn's Smarty Jones Stakes on Jan. 17, the final day of the track's opening weekend.
Oaklawn, despite a four-day break in training because of freezing weather and frozen track, is scheduled to begin its 2017 live season Friday with four consecutive days of racing.
No race on opening weekend will draw more national attention than the 1-mile $150,000 Smarty Jones, which will distribute 17 points applicable to the Road to the Kentucky Derby, including 10 to the winner.
The Smarty Jones is the first of four Oaklawn races on the Road to the Derby.
The same 17 points (distributed 10-4-2-1) will be awarded to the top four finishers in the $500,000 Grade III Southwest Stakes on Feb. 20, then 85 (50-20-10-5) for the $900,000 Grade II Rebel Stakes on March 18, and 170 (100-40-20-10) in the $1 million Grade I Arkansas Derby on April 15.
Nominated horses with the most Road to the Derby points earned through April 15 will qualify for one of 20 spots in the Kentucky Derby starting gate at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on May 6.
Racing Hall of Fame member D. Wayne Lukas, one of four trainers all time with four or more Kentucky Derby winners, said he expects Warrior's Club to race competitively in the Smarty Jones.
Ron Moquett, who trained Far Right to a Kentucky Derby start in 2015 and Whitmore to the same last season, said he expects to start this year's Derby prospect, Petrov, in the Smarty Jones.
Another top 3-year-old, Uncontested, is being targeted toward a Smarty Jones start by trainer Wayne Catalano.
Uncontested began his career with a 6-length victory as a 2-year-old over 6½ furlongs at Keeneland on Oct. 19. Uncontested, by Tiz Now, came back a week later to finish fourth in the Grade II $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes over 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs.
Owner Harry Rosenblum of Little Rock said Uncontested is perhaps the most talented 2-year-old he has owned, and he showed it when managing to finish fourth after breaking from the No. 12 post in his first start around two turns.
Moquett said he believes Petrov, gray a son of Flatter, has the potential to become a highly competitive 3-year-old.
"He's like a coach's son in the morning," Moquett said. "He does everything we ask."
Petrov was a 3¼-length winner over 6 furlongs at Churchill on Nov. 12 in his first start. He was second in the $100,000 6-furlong King's Swan Stakes at Aqueduct in New York on Dec. 2. He lost by a head in 1:11.12.
Lukas said Warrior's Club has already established himself as an overachiever. Lukas bought the son of Warrior's Reward for $50,000 on behalf of Churchill Downs Racing Club, a non-profit 200-member group established to give people a relatively inexpensive entryway to thoroughbred racing. Each contributed a one-time payment of $500 and are under no further financial obligation.
Warrior's Club exited his 2-year-old season with a record of 7 1-1-3, but his one victory came in the $300,000 7-furlong Spendthrift Stallion Stakes at Churchill on Oct. 30. Warrior's Club led throughout and went through 6 furlongs in 1:10.37 en route to a final time of 1:23.31.
Lukas said the owners of Warrior's Club were ecstatic after the Spendthrift.
"You had to be there when he won that stake," Lukas said. "Gosh, it was unbelievable. People were running up and down and hugging and kissing."
In his last start, on Nov. 26, Warrior's Club finished third in the Grade II $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes to pick up two Road to the Derby points .
"I don't know where this thing will end up, but no one dreamed he would become the kind of horse he's become," Lukas said. "No one ever dreamed he was going to win a $300,000 stake, that's for sure. He'll keep the good horses in the Smarty Jones honest, too, but we'll find out later just where his level is."
Sports on 01/10/2017