Cowan, Caddo River head field of seven in Oaklawn's Smarty Jones

Oaklawn Park will kick off its road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby next Friday when a seven-horse field lines up in the Grade 3, $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes (G3).

Favorites in the race look to be Caddo River for trainer Brad Cox and Cowan, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.

Caddo River will break from the far outside post of the seven-horse field in his stakes debut. The son of Hard Spun out of Pangburn, by Congrats, broke his maiden in his most recent start when going a mile on the dirt at Churchill Downs on Nov. 15.

Cox spoke highly of the colt in an interview with HRN last week.

Cowan, a son of Kantharos out of Tempers Flair, by Smart Strike, has finished second in each of his last two races, including the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Last time out, the colt ran second in the Springboard Mile at Remington Park, but was beaten soundly by Senor Buscador, who won by 5 3/4 lengths. Cowan earned four points toward the 2021 Kentucky Derby and currently ranks 12th on the leaderboard.

Asmussen won last year's Smarty Jones with Gold Street. The colt did not go on to the Kentucky Derby, racing two more times in 2020, both at Oaklawn. He was ninth in the Southwest (G3) and came back to be eighth in the Oaklawn Stakes.

Another top contender could be Moonlite Strike for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

The colt has won his last two races, including a one-mile allowance on the dirt at Gulfstream on Dec. 10. The son of Liam’s Map out of Twinkling, by War Chant, is one of five horses in the race who will be making their stakes debuts. The others are Caddo River, Martini Blu, Lawlessness and Hardly Swayed.

Big Thorn, who finished sixth in the Mucho Macho Man last time out, completes the field.

The $150,000, one mile Smarty Jones Stakes for 3-year-olds is set for 4:11 p.m. next Saturday at Oaklawn. The race will pay out 10 Kentucky Derby points to the winner, four to second place, two to third and one point to the fourth place finisher.