On Fire Baby sets Smarty Jones Stakes on Fire – Contention for Top Starters

Held annually at the Oaklawn Park Racetrack, Arkansas, the Smarty Jones Stakes is named for the 2004 winner of the Triple Crown races, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, finishing second in the Belmont, Smarty Jones. The race event is held mid January, 16th this year, for a distance of a mile and was inaugurated to honour Smarty Jones’ contribution to the sport, a giving that came from his undoubtedly strong pedigree comprising of the world no. 1 and 2, Man o’War and Secretariat, Northern Dancer and Foolish Pleasure.
The stakes race, offering a purse of $100,000, invited three year olds, and was run for the fifth time since its inauguration in 2008. Won last year by the Eclipse finalist for Champion Three Year Old, Caleb’s Posse, Smarty Jones marks the beginning of Oaklawn Park’s journey to the Triple Crown. This year, On Fire Baby made the one mile journey worthwhile preparing the grounds for another rollercoaster ride aboard top class fillies.
The race was seen contended by a handful of early on three year old starters, including Optimizer by English Channel through Indy Pick by A.P.Indy. Trained by D.Wayne Lukas, and hailing from the reputed Bluegrass Hall, LLC, Optimizer may have finished a trailing eight during the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile but he pulled off a striking third in Grade 1 Breeder’s Futurity and a runner up in the With Anticipation Stakes. His array of 4 graded stakes entries made him a strong contender for race lead but so far, it’s only a sixth at Smarty Jones.
Despite a series of weak performances in the maiden season, Hard Nosed by Hard Spun through Katy Kat by Forest Wildcat had made a start in the Smarty Jones Stakes and it seems the colt needs a lot more ground to pull off a winning performance. Hard Nosed remained at the trailing end of the field, never having enough gas to make it even close.
Race winner Junebugred, has had little exposure to racing with only 2 maiden special weights to back his craft but he skilfully drifted out of traffic when asked by jockey Steve Hobby, firmly holding runner up Reckless Jerry in place.
Amidst the colts, comes the fairer sex, On Fire Baby by Smoke Glacken through Ornate by Gilded Time. The filly has won her last two starts in grade 2 Pocahontas Stakes and the Golden Rod Stakes and finished fifth in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes, within 6 ½ lengths of the race lead, Stephanie’s Kitten, an Eclipse finalist. On Fire Baby compromised a bit in the stretch, stalked the race leads in an advantageous position keeping out of the remaining field. The filly finished third well within 1 ¼ lengths.
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