Kentucky Derby trail: Mourinho wins Oaklawn's Smarty Jones
By Jonathan Lintner
Questions will remain about Mourinho’s willingness to stretch out on the 2018 Kentucky Derby trail, but he was by far the best going a mile Monday at Oaklawn Park as a dominant winner of the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes.
The son of Super Saver cantered home in a final time of 1:37.25, topping the Steve Asmussen-trained duo of Combatant and Tap Daddy.
The 3 1/4-length victory marked the first Smarty Jones score for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and came with jockey Drayden Van Dyke -- who calls Hot Springs, Ark., home -- in a hand ride late.
"Bob said we're the fastest horse in the race, so get the lead and go from there," Van Dyke said. "Luckily it worked out well to where he threw his ears up and coasted along."
Mourinho wasn't challenged after making the lead into the first turn, urged a bit by Van Dyke from the gate. The 3-5 favorite clicked through an opening quarter mile in 23.33 seconds and got the half in 48.09 before distancing by three lengths into the far turn.
Rivals never came closer as the colt scored his first stakes win, this time putting blinkers back on.
"The young horses like that need to stay focused, so I think it benefitted him," Van Dyke said of the equipment change.
“We always hoped he’d pass the two turn test," added Baffert, who said Mourinho's a candidate to return to Oaklawn for the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 19. "He broke well and was able to make the early lead. He looked like he had plenty left. We’re very encouraged. We’re excited. It’s that time of year when you start to get excited."
A win gave Mourinho 10 Derby qualifying points toward a spot in the starting gate on May 5.
Campaigned by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Mourinho was a $625,000 purchase as a 2-year-old who went on to post a pair of runner-up finishes in West Coast stakes races, both by fewer than two lengths and around one turn. The colt's namesake is Jose Mourinho, manager of the English Premier League soccer club Manchester United.
Bode’s Maker and Arched Feather rounded out the running order Monday as just five went in the Smarty Jones. Todd Pletcher-trained Navistar, who Van Dyke called the "main threat," was unable to ship in to Oaklawn Park, while Lone Rock scratched after running instead Saturday in an allowance optional claiming event.