One of three runners in the Classic coming out of the July 8 GIII Cornhusker H. at Prairie Meadows, where he was runner-up to Friday night's sixth-place finisher Giant Game (Giant's Causeway), Skippylongstocking was notching his fourth graded win in the past year. He took Tampa Bay's GIII Challenger S. in March, Gulfstream's GIII Harlan's Holiday S. in late December, and Mountaineer's GIII West Virginia Derby last August. The first half of his 3-year-old campaign featured a third in the aforementioned Belmont, as well as in the GII Wood Memorial, and a fifth in the GI Preakness S.

SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING (Exaggerator) absolutely blows the rest of the field out of the water, securing a seamless victory in the GII Charles Town Classic! pic.twitter.com/YjHvvlnNCv

— TDN (@theTDN) August 26, 2023

Pedigree Notes:

Skippylongstocking is the sole North American-bred graded winner for Classic winner Exaggerator, who also has nine black-type winners. A son of the all-conquering Curlin and a former Kentucky sire, Exaggerator has stood for the past two seasons at Elite Thoroughbreds in Louisiana.

Skippylongstocking is also one of 34 stakes winners out of mares by Breeders' Cup winner War Chant, whose daughters have also produced GI Kentucky Derby winner Country House (Lookin At Lucky) and English/French MG1SW Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

The Charles Town Classic winner is Twinkling's best runner, although she also has SW Olivia Twist (Mshawish), who was third in April's GIII Fantasy S., and SW Moonlite Strike (Liam's Map), who was third in the 2021 GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. She has an unraced 2-year-old filly named Winking (Take Charge Indy) and a yearling filly named Mia's Mom (Maclean's Music), who sold earlier this month at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale for $275,000 to August Dawn Farm. Her 2023 foal, a filly by Authentic, was born May 5. Twinkling was bred back to Not This Time.

Friday, Charles Town
CHARLES TOWN CLASSIC S.-GII, $1,000,000, Charles Town, 8-25, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:51.37, wf.
1–SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING, 121, c, 4, by Exaggerator
                1st Dam: Twinkling, by War Chant
                2nd Dam: Unhurried, by Out of Place
                3rd Dam: Laughing Erin, by Irish Castle
($15,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $37,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Daniel
Alonso; B-Brushy Hill, LLC (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Tyler
Gaffalione. $576,000. Lifetime Record: GISP, 19-6-2-3,
$1,507,185. *1/2 to Olivia Twist (Mshawish), SW & GSP,
$177,449; 1/2 to Moonlite Strike (Liam's Map), SW & GSP,
$174,455. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–O'Connor (Chi), 119, h, 6, Boboman–Torrente de Agua (Chi),
by Touch Gold. O-Fernando Vine Ode and Michael and Jules
Iavarone; B-Haras Carioca (Chi); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
$192,000.
3–Dash Attack, 119, g, 4, Munnings–Cerce Cay, by Hard Spun.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Magdalena Racing (Sherri
McPeek), Catalyst Stable, Kevin J. Pollard and Patty Slevin;
B-Catalyst Stable & Magdalena Racing (KY); T-Kenneth G.
McPeek. $96,000.
Margins: 5, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.40, 10.50, 23.60.
Also Ran: Muad'dib, Call Me Fast, Giant Game, Double Crown, Doppelganger, Perfect Flight, Eastern Bay. Scratched: Martin Man.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Exaggerator Colt ‘Skips’ to $1-Million Charles Town Classic Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Second in the Southwest was Barber Road (Race Day), who also completed the exacta in Churchill's Lively Shively S. in November and the Smarty Jones S. in the local slop Jan. 1. Wide-drawn Dash Attack (Munnings) was an impressive winner of the Smarty Jones, but was a dull fifth in the Southwest–his first try over totally fast dirt.

Among the fresh faces in with a chance is MyRacehorse's Chasing Time (Not This Time), a 7 3/4-length optional claiming romper here Jan. 14 when stretched to two turns for the first time. He'll need to step forward from the 81 Beyer Speed Figure he earned last out, but will look to add to young sire Not This Time's extremely strong hand of Triple Crown hopefuls (click for more).

Should the pace fall apart, Un Ojo (Laoban) could pick up the pieces. The gelding returns to the Ricky Courville barn after two starts for Tony Dutrow at Aqueduct–a neck second in the lucrative NYSS Great White Way S. Dec. 18, followed by another runner-up outing from far back in the nine-furlong GIII Withers S. won on the front end by well-regarded Early Voting (Gun Runner) Feb. 5.

The post Newgrange Faces Familiar Foes in Rebel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Dash Attack won his first two career starts, including the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1, before being beaten 7 ¾ lengths by heavily favored Newgrange in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest. Dash Attack was racing over a fast track for the first time in the Southwest, Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races.

“I think between that racetrack being a little bit deep and cuppy, and we kind of had to adjust our work schedule, I think we left him short,” McPeek said. “He got tired in the race. He seemed to come back fine, but I wish I had done a little more with him in hindsight. But the night before, it was extremely cold and I don't think they had much water on it (track) and he didn't handle it well.”

Dash Attack splashed to a two-length victory in the one-mile Smarty Jones, which was Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race. Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 26 and the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 2.

McPeek said Dash Attack “definitely” will be considered for the Rebel, which will offer 85 points (50-20-10-5, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest point totals earned in designated qualifying races.

Dash Attack ranks No. 9 on the latest Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 10 points for his Smarty Jones victory.

“We're not ruling the Rebel out at all,” McPeek said. “We're going to kind of regroup and put another plan together and hopefully it unfolds a little better than the Southwest did.”

Southern California-based Bob Baffert said he will “definitely have something for the Rebel,” a 1 1/16-mile race the Hall of Fame trainer has won a record eight times. Barber Road, runner-up in the Smarty Jones and Southwest, is likely headed to the Rebel, trainer John Ortiz said.

Vivar is off the Kentucky Derby trail following his 10th-place finish in the Southwest, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday afternoon.

“We're going to give him a break and freshen him up,” said Cox, who trains Vivar for breeder/owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs. “Don't really think he's a dirt horse. Kind of always thought he was more grass. We've given him the opportunity and he really didn't answer the questions we were asking, so it's time to back up and give him some time and maybe point him for a grass campaign this summer.”

Vivar finished fifth in the Smarty Jones.

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Smarty Jones S. top three Dash Attack (Munnings), Barber Road (Race Day) and Ignitis (Nyquist) rematch here. Opening his account with a 1 1/4-length score here Dec. 5, Dash Attack rallied from well back to take a sloppy renewal of the Jan. 1 Smarty Jones by two lengths.

Barber Road graduated at second asking when dropped from a maiden special weight to a maiden $30,000 and extended to two turns at Keeneland in October. Romping in a starter allowance at Churchill Nov. 10, the gray was second in the Lively Shively S. beneath the Twin Spires 17 days later and was next seen in the Smarty Jones.

After a quartet of in-the-money efforts, Ignitis earned his diploma at Keeneland Oct. 14, but could only manage sixth in the Lively Shively prior to the Smarty Jones.

The post Baffert Saddles Southwest Favorite appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“Glad to be running at Oaklawn again,” Baffert said in a text message Tuesday night. “I think he's a nice horse. Training well.”

The 1 1/16-mile Southwest will mark the first start outside California for Newgrange, who exits a front-running victory in the $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) at one mile Jan. 1 at Santa Anita. (Baffert trainees are not eligible for Kentucky Derby points, due to a ban by Churchill Downs.)

Oaklawn conducted its first Kentucky Derby points race New Year's Day, with the Kenny McPeek-trained Dash Attack splashing home to a two-length victory in the $250,000 Smarty Jones at 1 mile.

Six other Smarty Jones starters are entered in the Southwest, which goes as the ninth of 11 races. Racing begins Saturday at 12:02 p.m. (Central), with probable post for the Southwest 4:22 p.m.

The projected 12-horse Southwest field from the rail out:

1. Ben Diesel, Jon Court to ride, 117 pounds, 10-1 on the morning line;
2. Dash Attack, David Cohen, 122, 7-2;
3. Don'tcrossthedevil, Ramon Vazquez, 117, 30-1;
4. Kavod, Francisco Arrieta, 117, 12-1;
5. Costa Terra, Tiago Pereira, 117, 12-1;
6. Osbourne, David Cabrera, 117, 8-1;
7. Ignitis, Luis Contreras, 117, 10-1;
8. Barber Road, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 5-1;
9. Classic Moment, Martin Garcia, 117, 12-1;
10. Newgrange, John Velazquez, 122, 2-1;
11. Call Me Jamal, Geovanni Franco, 117, 30-1; and
12. Vivar, Florent Geroux, 119, 12-1.

Dash Attack collected 10 points for his Smarty Jones victory and ranks ninth on the official Kentucky Derby leaderboard released last Sunday by Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest point totals earned in designated races like the Smarty Jones and the Southwest, which also offers 17 to the four finishers (10-4-2-1).

Newgrange, like all Baffert horses, is ineligible for Kentucky Derby qualifying points because of a Churchill Downs suspension, stemming from a possible medication violation involving his 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit.

Dash Attack is also two for two, breaking his maiden Dec. 5 at Oaklawn and returning to win the Smarty Jones in his first start against winners. Both of Dash Attack's victories have come at one mile and over an off track.

“It looks like a good next spot for him,” McPeek said. “Baffert's horse coming in from California, obviously, looks like he's got a lot of raw talent. There's some others in there that have run well. Look, it's never easy, but our colt's doing good.”

Also returning from the Smarty Jones are Barber Road, Ignitis, Kavod, Vivar, Ben Diesel and Don'tcrossthedevil, the 2-3-4-5-7-12 finishers, respectively.

Barber Road is seeking his first stakes victory after also finishing second in the $200,000 Lively Shively Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs to conclude his 2-year-old campaign. The speedy Barber Road, who was farther back than expected in the Smarty Jones, switches to eight-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. after regular rider Reylu Gutierrez picked up the mount on Chess Chief for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

“We've competed against them and know where we stand,” said John Ortiz, who trains Barber Road for former Walmart executive William Simon. “I think the horse has improved since (the Smarty Jones), and I think with the added distance he's going to improve more. We'll just let him come out of the gate and put Ricardo in a good spot and just go from there. With a fast track, I expect him to be a little closer and more involved.”

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas produced an upset in the 1992 Southwest with Big Sur, who wired a field that included two future Triple Crown race winners in Lil E. Tee (Kentucky Derby) and Pine Bluff (Preakness). Lukas bids for his second Southwest victory with Ignitis, who was beaten three lengths in the Smarty Jones at odds of 31-1.

“I think he earned the right to run in this next race in the 3-year-old series,” Lukas said. “He finished up. He's still a little bit green. He still hasn't learned exactly all the little things we'd liked to have a 3-year-old learn, but that's true of so many of them at this time of year. We're going to evaluate him. We're going to run him in there and hope for an improved race. He finished really strong the other day, so maybe the mile and a sixteenth will help him a little bit, too.”

New shooters include Osbourne for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs and Costa Terra for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, a three-time Southwest winner. Osbourne will be making his 3-year-old debut after passing the Smarty Jones in favor of the $400,000 Springboard Mile Stakes Dec. 17 at Remington Park. A gelded son of Asmussen's 2014 Southwest winner Tapiture, Osbourne finished second, beaten a half-length, in the Springboard Mile.

“I like our chances,” said Moquett, who won the 2015 Southwest with Far Right. “I think it's a good shot to see where we're at. There are some nice horses in here, obviously. You hang $750,000 up and there's going to be some people show up wanting it.”

Costa Terra, a homebred son of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner for Winchell Thoroughbreds (Ron and Joan Winchell), hasn't started since finishing fifth in the $500,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 9 at Keeneland. Costa Terra is a half-brother to Pneumatic, who won his first two career starts at the 2020 Oaklawn meeting for Asmussen and the Winchells before running fourth in the Belmont Stakes later that year.

“He's always shown some talent,” longtime Winchell racing/farm manager David Fiske said of Costa Terra. “I thought he ran well in the Breeders' Futurity, just, obviously, not well enough. He was another guy that was kind of down the depth chart behind some of the other 2-year-olds that we had last year, but he seems to be picking it up since the calendar turned.”

Late-running Vivar adds blinkers for trainer Brad Cox after being beaten only 3 ¼ lengths in the Smarty Jones. Vivar, a homebred for John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs, broke his maiden at a mile on the turf Sept. 5 at Kentucky Downs and was a first-level off-the-turf allowance winner at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 29 at Keeneland.

“Vivar should be better with a little more stretch,” said Cox, who won last year's Southwest with champion Essential Quality.

Call Me Jamal and Classic Moment, another Asmussen trainee, remove Lasix because the anti-bleeder medication is banned from Kentucky Derby points races. Classic Moment adds blinkers following a fourth-place finish in the Springboard Mile. Call Me Jamal broke his maiden Dec. 18 at Oaklawn in his two-turn debut for trainer Mike Puhich.

Normally run in late February, the Southwest will be contested in January for the first time. All of Oaklawn's 2022 Kentucky Derby points races were moved up on the calendar in conjunction with its earliest in history (Dec. 3). The Arkansas Derby, April 2, falls five weeks before the Kentucky Derby. It had been three weeks since 1996.

“It's a little odd,” Moquett said. “But once you get into it, it's just like anything else. You're just looking at the day in front of you. Later, you might think about that stuff. But right now, we're just thinking about how do we get through the next couple of days of training to get into the paddock and the gates and let's go.”

The Southwest was inaugurated in 1968.

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Cohen guided Dash Attack (2 for 2) to victories in his Dec. 5 career debut and the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1, the latter Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Cohen had never been on Dash Attack before the chestnut son of Munnings closed with a rush to capture his career debut at Oaklawn for trainer Kenny McPeek. The Smarty Jones came roughly 9 ½ years after Cohen and McPeek teamed to win the $1 million Travers Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds at Saratoga with Golden Ticket.

“That's what David meant in the interview (following the Smarty Jones) – to circle back with Kenny – it's great,” said Cohen's longtime agent, Bill Castle. “After winning with Golden Ticket, to try and repeat like that, 'Wow!'”

Dash Attack is among 12 horses entered in the Southwest, which goes as the ninth of 11 races Saturday. Racing begins at 12 p.m. (Central), with probable post time for the Southwest 4:22 p.m.

The projected Southwest field from the rail out:

1. Ben Diesel, Jon Court to ride, 117 pounds, 10-1 on the morning line
2. Dash Attack, David Cohen, 122, 7-1
3. Don'tcrossthedevil, Ramon Vazquez, 117, 30-1
4. Kavod, Francisco Arrieta, 117, 12-1
5. Costa Terra, Tiago Pereira, 117, 12-1
6. Osbourne, David Cabrera, 117, 8-1
7. Ignitis, Luis Contreras, 117, 10-1
8. Barber Road, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 5-1
9. Classic Moment, Martin Garcia, 117, 12-1
10. Newgrange, John Velazquez, 122, 2-1
11. Call Me Jamal, Geovanni Franco, 117, 30-1
12. Vivar, Florent Geroux, 119, 12-1

Dash Attack collected 10 points for his Smarty Jones victory and ranks ninth on the official Kentucky Derby leaderboard released Sunday by Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest point totals earned in designated races like the Smarty Jones and the Southwest, which also offers 17 to the four finishers (10-4-2-1).

Castle said McPeek asked him before the Oaklawn meeting began Dec. 3 if Cohen would be interested riding a “talented unraced baby” the trainer had, aka Dash Attack, in his career debut. McPeek didn't have to ask twice, Castle said.

“Just thrilled to be on him,” Castle said. “Just fortunate.”

Both of Dash Attack's victories have come at 1 mile over an off track. He was a 1 ¼-length winner of his career debut at odds of 10-1, then won the Smarty Jones by two lengths at odds of 7-1.

“Kenny told me he had some issues with the horse physically early on and that's why he was a late bloomer and was probably about 80 percent fit going into the first race,” Cohen said. “Naturally, first time out, two turns, off track, sitting in the pocket, you expect a horse to get better for the next time out. We were hoping that he didn't regress of that effort, but he came out of that race very well.”

The Smarty Jones marked Cohen's 20th career victory for McPeek, according to statistical provider Equineline. More than half (13) came in 2012, including the Travers.

“It's a blessing,” Cohen said, referring to Dash Attack. “Kenny and I, we've linked up in the past for some big wins, the Travers being one of them. To have this year come around and have a horse this early, it's a blessing.”

Cohen, 37, finished seventh aboard Keepmeinmind in last year's Kentucky Derby for trainer Robertino Diodoro, the jockey's major client. His Kentucky Derby debut came a little more than seven years after a severe leg injury (he was kicked by a horse in the paddock before a Feb. 1, 2014, race at Aqueduct) and the subsequent deaths of deaths of his father (cancer) and sister (head injury) threatened to derail the jockey's once-promising career.

Cohen rode his first winner in 2004 and ranked sixth nationally in victories (288) and 24th in purse earnings ($7,357,326) – both career highs – in 2009 competing in New York and the Mid-Atlantic, according to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization. Golden Ticket, a 33-1 long shot, dead-heated with favored Alpha in the prestigious Travers, billed the “Midsummer Derby.”

“In those years, Kenny was a tremendous supporter, from Golden Ticket to graded stakes horses like that,” Castle said. “We're fortunate to have fallen into Kenny's barn right now.”

After not riding in 2015 and 2016, Cohen returned to the saddle in late 2017 and rode 37 winners in his Oaklawn debut in 2018 to finish third in the standings. Cohen rode 75 winners the following year at Oaklawn to end Ricardo Santana Jr.'s six-year hold on the title. Now, he's winning races for McPeek again.

“He's always done a good job for me,” McPeek said. “He's going to stay on this horse until he gets beat, I suppose. He's a good rider. I think he's equally excited.”

Dash Attack completed major preparations for the Southwest with a 5-furlong maintenance workout in 1:01.40 Monday morning under Cohen. The track was fast.

“Just let him stretch his legs and finish up,” McPeek said. “Pretty basic stuff for us.”

The Southwest is part of a stakes tripleheader Saturday.

The $200,000 Martha Washington for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles has drawn a field of six, including multiple stakes winner Optionality and powerful Dec. 31 allowance winner Secret Oath. Nine horses are entered in the $150,000 King Cotton for older sprinters, including Grade 1 winner Collusion Illusion, track record holders Hollis and Nashville and defending champion Boldor.

Newgrange and Collusion Illusion were scheduled to arrive Wednesday following a flight from Southern California, where both horses are based.

The post David Cohen Hoping For Return Trip To Kentucky Derby With Dash Attack appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Post positions will be drawn Monday for the Southwest, along with two other stakes races Jan. 29 at the Hot Springs, Ark., track. The 1 1/16-mile Southwest is Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races, offering 17 to the top four finishes (10-4-2-1) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

Dash Attack, Barber Road, Ignitis, Vivar and Barber Road, the 1-2-3-5-7 finishers, respectively, in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1 are expected to return for the Southwest. The one-mile Smarty Jones was Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race.

The Southwest is expected to attract two shippers from Southern California – one for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert (Messier or Newgrange) and one for trainer Doug O'Neill (Slow Down Andy).

Other horses expected to be entered Monday include Dec. 18 Oaklawn maiden special weights graduate Call Me Jamal for trainer Mike Puhich and lightly raced Osbourne for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who has 21 of the 103 nominees, is scheduled to have at least one starter in the Southwest, Pope said.

“I see 10 for sure, with the possibility of a dozen,” Pope said. “And we're hoping the plane is scheduled to fly in here.”

A flight carrying five Southern California-based horses for Saturday's stakes tripleheader, including two for Baffert and two for O'Neill, is scheduled to arrive Tuesday in Arkansas, Pope said.

Baffert has dominated Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby prep series the last decade, notching 17 victories since 2010. He has won the Southwest four times.

Messier won the $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes (G3) Nov. 14 at Del Mar before finishing second behind Slow Down Andy, beaten a length, in the $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Dec. 11 at Los Alamitos to close 2021. Newgrange is unbeaten in two career starts, including the $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) Jan. 1 at Santa Anita.

Because Baffert has been suspended by Churchill Downs, his horses are ineligible for Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The suspension stems from a possible medication violation involving his 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit.

Slow Down Andy has won 2 of 3 starts overall, with his only loss a runner-up finish in the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile Stakes Nov. 5 at Del Mar. The seven-furlong race was restricted to California-breds. O'Neill and breeder/owner J. Paul Reddam campaigned Slow Down Andy's sire, 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist.

Dash Attack collected 10 points for his victory in the Smarty Jones to remain unbeaten in two career starts for trainer Kenny McPeek. Barber Road (John Ortiz), Ignitis (D. Wayne Lukas), Vivar (Brad Cox) and Ben Diesel (Dallas Stewart) are all seeking their first stakes victory.

Osbourne will be making his local debut after finishing second in the $400,000 Springboard Mile Stakes Dec. 17 at Remington Park in his last start. Osbourne, who has raced three times, is a gelded son of 2014 Southwest winner Tapiture.

Post positions also will be drawn Monday for the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles and the $150,000 King Cotton Stakes for older sprinters. The Martha Washington is Oaklawn's first of three Kentucky Oaks points races. Like the Southwest, it offers 17 points (10-4-2-1) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks, the country's biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies.

Expected Martha Washington entrants include unbeaten Como Square for Cox, Grade 1 winner Eda (Baffert), multiple stakes winner Optionality (Asmussen), powerful Dec. 31 allowance winner Secret Oath (Lukas) and stakes-placed Tonito's (O'Neill).

Eda and Tonito's finished 1-3, respectively, in the $300,000 Starlet Stakes (G1) Dec. 4 at Los Alamitos. Eda is also ineligible to collect Kentucky Oaks points because of Baffert's suspension by Churchill Downs.

The six-furlong King Cotton field is expected to be headed by Grade I winner Collusion Illusion for trainer Mark Glatt and track record holders Hollis (Ortiz) and Nashville (Asmussen).

Collusion Illusion won the $250,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) in 2020 at Del Mar. Hollis set Oaklawn's 5 ½-furlong mark (1:02.17) in a Dec. 10 allowance race. Runner-up Nashville set Keeneland's 6-furlong track record (1:07.89) in the $125,000 Perryville Stakes for 3-year-olds in 2020 at Keeneland.

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The pair has breezed in unison at Gulfstream Park for the past two weeks, both earning a four-furlong time of :48.90 on Jan. 8, and Tiz The Bomb recording a slightly-faster three-furlong time of :37.84 on New Year's Day (Smile Happy was clocked in :38.46).

Smile Happy (Runhappy) will be aimed at the G3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 5, while a prep race has not been decided upon for Tiz The Bomb (Hit It A Bomb).

Dash Attack (Munnings), winner of the Jan. 1 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park, will remain in Hot Springs to point toward the G3 Southwest Stakes on Jan. 29.

Meanwhile, G1 Breeders' Futurity winner Rattle N Roll (Connect) has not yet returned to breezing since missing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile due to a minor injury, but McPeek believes there will be plenty of time to get the colt on the Derby trail.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

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Dash Attack's victory came a little over a month after stablemate Smile Happy won the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs to remain unbeaten in two lifetime starts. McPeek's arsenal of newly turned 3-year-olds also features Rattle N Roll, winner of the $500,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 9 at Keeneland, and Tiz the Bomb, who broke his maiden by 14 ¼ lengths on dirt at a mile last summer at Ellis Park before becoming a Grade 2 winner on grass.

“I'm in a pretty enviable position right now,” McPeek said.

Ridden by David Cohen, Dash Attack ($17.40) was a two-length winner of the Smarty Jones, which marked Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races. Barber Road finished second, a length clear of Ignitis. It was a nose farther back to Kavod in fourth.

Dash Attack collected 10 qualifying points for the victory and ranks eighth on the latest official Kentucky Derby leaderboard compiled by Churchill Downs. Rattle N Roll (10) and Smile Happy (10) are second and fifth, respectively. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with points earned in designated races like the one-mile Smarty Jones used to determine starting preference.

Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 29. McPeek said early last month that Smile Happy was under consideration for the Southwest, but that was shortly before Dash Attack won his Dec. 5 career debut at Oaklawn. Now, the Munnings colt is armed with two victories at a mile, one coming in a Kentucky Derby points race.

Smile Happy, meanwhile, is with McPeek's Florida division and returned to the work tab Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park, where he covered three furlongs in :38.46. Tiz the Bomb went 3 furlongs in :37.84 Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park.

“Nothing is set in stone with this, with any of them, as you know,” McPeek said by phone from Florida following the Smarty Jones. “Right now, Smile Happy is still just getting ready. He just had a little three-eighths, out an eighth, today. The next couple of weeks we'll step him up. We'll figure it out. If they go together, they go together and if they don't, they don't.”

McPeek already owns victories in two legs of the Triple Crown – Sarava (2002 Belmont) and Swiss Skydiver (2020 Preakness) – but he's still seeking his first Kentucky Derby victory. His best finish with six starters to date is Tejano Run, the 1995 runner-up.

McPeek's strong hand of early 2022 Kentucky Derby candidates only got stronger with Saturday's performance by Dash Attack, who was facing winners for the first time.

“He definitely jumped into the conversation,” McPeek said. “Smile Happy's a very good horse. Most years you would want to have all these horses separated in different years. I've always watched guys like, whether it was Wayne Lukas years back, and there's others, obviously, Bob Baffert, and others. You look up and all of a sudden you've got that group of horses and they're all coming together. Look, a lot can happen. We're just going to try and keep it steady and not overthink it and let the horses take us where they're going to take us.”

Dash Attack races for his breeders, Richard Greenberg (Catalyst Stable) and McPeek's wife, Sherri (Magdalena Racing), along with Kevin Pollard and Patty Slevin. Dash Attack was raised at Kenny McPeek's Magdalena Farm in Kentucky.

McPeek said “little issues early in his 2-year-old year” delayed Dash Attack's racing debut. The colt has maintained a steady work pattern the last month, recording seven published breezes since Nov. 3, the last two coming in December at Oaklawn.

“He just was immature,” McPeek said. “We actually sent him to the farm a couple of times because I felt like he wasn't ready. He's just a little bit later bloomer, but he's always been a big, strong, gorgeous horse to look at and be around. I think our patience has paid well. If we had pressed him earlier in the year, he certainly wouldn't be doing what he's doing now.”

Although by Munnings, a multiple Grade 2-winning sprinter, McPeek said he believed Dash Attack was a two-turn horse. McPeek also trained Dash Attack's dam, Cerce Cay, who broke her maiden at 1 1/8 miles on the turf in 2012 at Churchill Downs.

“She had quite a bit of talent,” McPeek said. “The other interesting thing about this horse is that we raised this horse. We partnered in on his mare. We're involved in breeding with Rick Greenberg, so we bred him and raised him at Magdalena. Where he came from is pretty special. Most of my m.o. is that I buy horses at auction. In his case, he came from Magdalena Farm.”

Dash Attack received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 82 for his victory in the Smarty Jones, which drew a record 13 starters. His winning time over a sloppy track was 1:39.44. Dash Attack, who is named after the 4-year-old grandson of Greenberg's fiancée, Linda Hamilton, has earned $205,440.

John Ortiz, who trains Barber Road, said immediately following the Smarty Jones that he plans to keep the Race Day colt in Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby prep series.

Oaklawn's final two Kentucky Derby points races are the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 26 and the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 2.

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Dash Attack broke a step behind the field from his rail post, but that allowed him to settle into seventh place. Ruggs led the field through an opening quarter mile in :23.03 before relenting the lead to Ben Diesel before a half mile in :46.38. Jockey David Cohen moved the winner out of traffic and they came four-wide into the lane after six furlongs in 1:12.34 before drawing off to win by two lengths over Barber Road, who also closed fast to earn four points for second. Final time for the one-mile race was 1:39.44 over a sloppy track.

“He broke a little flat-footed today, but was able to work out a pretty good trip,” Cohen said. “I had to move a little earlier than I would have liked. I like to be a little more patient with the horse, but given the short stretch, it was the time to go and I saw one opportunity to get out (of traffic). I pointed him in that direction and got that so-called sling shot effort. He really turned up his game and turned on the power.”

Ignitus finished third by a head in front of Advent Stakes-winner Kavod. Ignitus earned two points toward Kentucky Derby eligibility, while Kavod earned one.

Dash Attack, a Munnings colt trained by Kenny McPeek, is now a perfect two for two and has earned  $205,440. He returned $17.40, $8.60 and $5.60 at odds of 7-1.

“I'm just really pleased with the job David (Cohen) and my team did over there,” McPeek said, when reached by telephone in Florida. “Just an impressive run by that colt. Look, he's still just figuring it out, this horse. I knew he would come from off the pace. I saw that he got off a little awkward. I just didn't want David to rush things and it looked to me like he started to, but then as the race unfolded, he kind of ended up in a pocket for a while. But good horses overcome things and he's done that, for sure.”

Live racing resumes Sunday with a 12:30 p.m. Central first post. The next race in Oaklawn's 3-year-old series is the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) on Saturday, Jan. 29.

Updated Kentucky Derby Leaderboard

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