Kentucky Derby 2019 Daily: On the Smarty Jones' ‘class factor’
Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, which will each day leading up to the May 4 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.
Oaklawn Park’s road to the 2019 Kentucky Derby begins with Friday’s $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes, a race that has lured last out runners from a number of regional circuits.
Gray Attempt, the morning line favorite, won Fair Grounds’ Sugar Bowl Stakes in his prior start. Long Range Toddy and Bankit were the 1-2 finishers of Remington Park’s Springboard Mile. And Six Shooter enters off a stakes score at Delta Downs.
“I do go for that class factor,” Ury-Holthus said, noting that five entrants in the one-mile feature won their last race in all.
This race will have a short stretch run to the wire, so post positions and trips will factor. A number of contenders will try two turns for the first time. Oh, and trainer Steve Asmussen, who saddles three in the Smarty Jones, hasn’t yet won this race, inaugurated in 2008.
Ury-Holthus’ top selections:
#7 Bankit (7-2)
She thinks this Central Banker colt’s odds could float down to favoritism before post time.
“He’s the lone foal of Sister in Arms,” Ury-Holthus said. “Just looking at the pedigree, he can definitely go all day….Ricardo Santana probably has pick of the barn and did choose to stay with Bankit.”
#8 Gray Attempt (5-2)
“I think he certainly can go the distance,” she said, though there’s concern he’ll face ground loss with the outside post position and short run to the first turn.
#4 Six Shooter (6-1)
While this one’s trained by Paul Holthus, Nancy’s husband, she said there’s no obligation to include him here. “But it definitely wouldn’t hurt my pocket book if he’s able to finish in the money.”
#1 Long Range Toddy (4-1)
“It’s interesting — Long Range Toddy, that last work, the workmate was Limation, who was the Super Derby winner,” Ury-Holthus said. “That’s an interesting work partner, and Long Range Toddy is the only multiple stakes winner in the field.”
One last parting piece of advice, considering Friday is opening day at Oaklawn?
“Speed might not be holding that particular day,” Ury-Holthus said. “Because it’s a late race on the card, Gray Attempt might not be the best selection. If horses are coming from off of it — just going to throw the names out again — Six Shooter might be a good pick, Long Range Toddy likes that stalking trip, and Bankit, who came from the back of the back might relish coming from off the pace.”
Derby links
• Stakes winner Our Braintrust has been purchased by Gary Barber and transferred to trainer Mark Casse, who will continue pointing the colt to Derby preps, according to the Daily Racing Form.
• America’s Best Racing delved into the pedigree of Lecomte winner War of Will, concluding that “class should not be a factor, but stamina could be.”
• By the way, we’re just 100 days out from the Derby! AOL.com focused on some early fashion trends emerging for this year’s race.
In case you missed it…
Wednesday’s Derby Daily report featured an interview with Bret Calhoun updating Mr. Money, the fourth-place Breeders’ Cup Juvenile finisher forced to scratch from the Lecomte.