Smarty Jones 2024: See odds and analysis for Ky. Derby prep
Monday’s $300,000 Smarty Jones is the first of four stops on Oaklawn’s road to the 2024 Kentucky Derby. The one-mile stakes race drew a field of nine which celebrate their racetrack birthdays on this day and thus will make their first starts as 3-year-olds. Brad Cox trains three of them and Steve Asmussen sends out a pair of the Derby hopefuls.
As an official Derby prep race, points are available to the top five eligible finishers on a scale of 10-5-3-2-1. Informed Patriot and Gettysburg Address are the only horses in the field that have earned any Derby points so far.
Here is a full-field analysis for the Smarty Jones with morning line odds from the Horse Racing Nation staff. The Smarty Jones is scheduled as race 9 out of 10 with post time set for 5:14 p.m. EST.
1. Informed Patriot, 6-1. Hard Spun – Steve Asmussen / Ricardo Santana Jr. – 4: 1-0-2 – $108,000. Informed Patriot earned three Derby points when he finished third in the Street Sense (G3) at Churchill Downs on a sloppy track after having a head lead at the stretch call. Most recently, he was third again this time in an allowance at the Louisville track. Use underneath.
2. Catching Freedom, 7-2. Constitution – Brad Cox / Cristian Torres – 2: 1-0-0 – $75,350. Catching Freedom started twice at Churchill as a heavy favorite and was a debut winner by almost four-lengths going a one-turn mile with a closing move from sixth. His second start was in a first level allowance where he ran fourth after his attempt to rally was stymied in traffic at the sixteenth pole. Use underneath.
3. Lagynos, 4-1. Kantheros – Steve Asmussen / Joel Rosario – 3: 2-0-1 – $175,660. Lagnynos broke his maiden at first asking in a turf sprint at Kentucky Downs in September with a stalking trip. At Churchill he faced winners on the dirt going two turns, got the lead at the top of the stretch and finished third ahead of Catching Freedom. Next time, he won an allowance that was scheduled for the turf but was run on a fast track when he drew off down the stretch as the favorite after staying closer to the pace in a field of seven. Use underneath.
4. Mystik Dan, 10-1. Goldencents – Kenny McPeek / Julien Leparoux – 3: 1-1-0 – $91,310. Mystik Dan broke his maiden in his second start in a sprint at Churchill as the odds-on favorite where he took the lead early and drew off to win by almost eight-lengths. He then ran fifth behind Informed Patriot again as the favorite in that mile allowance using more of a stalking style. Toss.
5. Mo Winning, 12-1. Mo Town – Robertino Diodoro / Harry Hernandez – 1: 1-0-0 – $20,043. Mo Winning was a supplemental nomination to the Smarty Jones after breaking his maiden in his first start at Remington Park. He was the 5-2 favorite in a field of 12 and rallied from behind to win the sprint by four-lengths. Toss.
6. Gettysburg Address, 3-1. Constitution – Brad Cox / Flavien Prat – 2: 1-0-0 – $50,600. Gettysburg Address is the second Brad Cox runner in the field. After winning his debut at Ellis Park in August at odds of 8-1 in a field of 11, he stepped onto the Kentucky Derby trail in the Street Sense. On the sloppy track, he stretched out to two turns and finished fourth earning two Derby points. On that day he went right to the lead but weakened down the stretch. The blinkers come off. Win contender.
7. Just Steel, 6-1. Justify – D. Wayne Lukas / Ramon Vasquez – 7: 2-1-1 – $240,795. It should come as no surprise that Just Steel is the most experienced horse in the field coming from the barn of Lukas. He is also the only stakes winner and has the most earnings. He broke his maiden in his third try at Saratoga after pressing the pace. Lukas moved him right up to a pair of Grade 1 races where he was on the lead both times and faded. Just Steel was third in a Churchill allowance and then won the Ed Brown by more than two lengths after cutting back to a sprint. Top choice.
8. Chaperone, 20-1. Curlin – Ron Moquett / Keith Asmussen – 4: 1-0-1 – $34,755. Chaperone debuted at Saratoga, then ran twice at Churchill and finally broke his maiden at Remington on a sloppy track while cutting back in distance. In that field of five he was a heavy favorite. Toss.
9. Fidget, 12-1. More Than Ready – Brad Cox / Martin Chuan – 3: 2-0-0 – $42,340. Fidget made his first two starts on the turf at Horseshoe Indianapolis and broke his maiden in his second try by a neck in September when the blinkers went on. Cox moved him to the main track and he won an allowance going a mile after getting the lead early in the race. Toss.
Summary:
A fast pace is projected with Mystic Dan, Gettysburg Address and Just Steel contending for the lead. Clearly, Gettysburg Address and Just Steel have faced better competition. Lukas is likely to try and get control of the race on the front end with Just Steel and his experience is a positive factor. Just Steel is the top choice.