Impressive Smarty Jones Winner Caddo River Back On The Work Tab At Oaklawn

Caddo River returned to the work tab Friday morning at Oaklawn, breezing an easy half-mile in :50.60 in preparation for an anticipated start in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds March 13 at Oaklawn.

The work was Caddo River's first since a record-setting 10 ¼-length victory in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 22, Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Caddo River breezed before the first surface renovation break under exercise rider Gustavo Abrego and recorded splits of :12.80 for his opening eighth of a mile, :26 for a quarter-mile and :38 for 3 furlongs, according to clockers, before galloping out 5 furlongs in 1:03.

Brad Cox trains Caddo River, a son of Hard Spun, for breeder/owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs. Anthony has won the Rebel a record five times.

Cox is scheduled to send out champion Essential Quality in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn. The 1 1/16-mile Southwest is Oaklawn's second of four of Kentucky Derby points races. The series concludes with the Rebel and $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 10.

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Oaklawn’s March 13 Rebel The ‘Next Logical Spot’ For Smarty Jones Winner Caddo River

Caddo River returned to the track Tuesday morning for the first time since a record-breaking victory in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3-year-olds Friday at Oaklawn. At the same time, his trainer, Brad Cox, was plotting the next move for the speedy colt and his handful of other Kentucky Derby prospects, including probable Eclipse Award winner Essential Quality.

The road to Churchill Downs, at least regarding next-race plans for Caddo River and Essential Quality, will run through Oaklawn's lucrative series of Kentucky Derby points races, with Caddo River, a homebred for Hot Springs lumberman John Ed Anthony's Shortleaf Stable, probably making his next start in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles March 13, Cox said.

Caddo River received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 92, a career high, for his front-running 10 ¼-length victory in the Smarty Jones, the most lopsided result since the one-mile race was inaugurated in 2008. Anthony also became the first owner to sweep what are now Oaklawn's four Kentucky Derby points races.

“He's a very good colt, and we're hoping he can get us to the first Saturday in May,” Cox said. “This has been a very good path to take, through Arkansas, to get there. We'll let the dust settle and talk it over with Mr. John Ed (Anthony), but I'd say right now, given the timing and everything, it probably makes the most sense to run him back in the Rebel. Just based off the calendar, the Rebel would be the next logical spot for him.”

The Smarty Jones marked the two-turn, stakes and 3-year-old debut of Caddo River, a long-striding son of 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun. After finishing second in his first two starts in New York, both at 7 furlongs, Caddo River closed his 2-year-old campaign with a front-running 9 ½-length maiden victory in a one-turn mile Nov. 15 at Churchill Downs.

“We have high expectations for him,” Cox said. “He's a good horse. Any time you can win a race by, say, 10 lengths – you don't really ever go into a race thinking you're going to win by 10. We think a lot of him. We have high hopes for this horse. He's one of three colts, three or four colts that we have in our barn, that we think can get us to the first Saturday in May.”

The Rebel is the final major local prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 10. Oaklawn's four-race Kentucky Derby points series began with the Smarty Jones and continues with the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15, which Cox said will mark the 2021 debut of unbeaten Essential Quality, who is now based at Fair Grounds.

Essential Quality (3 for 3) won the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 6 at Keeneland in his last start for Cox, Oaklawn's third-leading trainer last year and a finalist for an Eclipse Award as the country's outstanding trainer of 2020. One Oaklawn-based horse pointing for the 1 1/16-mile Southwest is Keepmeinmind, who finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Caddo River marked the first Smarty Jones starter for Anthony, who has won the Rebel a record five times (1980, 1984, 1987, 1992 and 1993). Three of Anthony's Rebel winners, Temperence Hill in 1980, Demons Begone in 1987 and Pine Bluff in 1992, also won the Arkansas Derby. Anthony has won the Southwest three times.

Like the Smarty Jones, the Southwest will offer 17 points on a sliding scale (10-4-2-1) to the top four finishers. The Rebel will award 85 points to the top four finishers (50-20-10-5), with 170 up for grabs to the top four finishers in the Arkansas Derby (100-40-20-10).

The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters. Horses with the highest point totals accumulated in designated races like the Smarty Jones, Southwest, Rebel and Arkansas Derby will have starting preference at Churchill Downs.

Essential Quality tops the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 30 points, according to Churchill Downs. Keepmeinmind ranks second with 18 and Caddo River is eighth with 10.

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Oaklawn Announces 57-Day Meet With Four $1 Million Stakes Races

Pending approval from the Arkansas Racing Commission, Oaklawn plans to conduct its regular 57-day meet highlighted by four $1 million stakes races – $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2), $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1), $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) – and the richest purse structure in its 117-year history. The 2021 season, which will be accentuated by the opening of a multi-purpose event center and a luxury 200-room hotel overlooking the track, is scheduled to run Friday, Jan. 22 – Saturday, May 1.

In addition, 21 stakes will have their purses raised by at least $25,000, most notably are $150,000 increases to both the Essex Handicap on March 13 and Oaklawn Mile on April 10, which will be worth $500,000 and $400,000, respectively. The purse of the Razorback Handicap (G3) on Saturday, Feb. 13 will be raised by $100,000 to $600,000. All stakes, including ones for state-breds, will be at least $150,000 each.

“We would not be able to once again offer record purses next year if it weren't for the tremendous support we've received from the Arkansas Racing Commission, the horsemen, and our fans in 2020,” Oaklawn President Louis Cella said. “We are excited to continue building on our 'New Level of Excellence,' which will include our new hotel, event center, state-of-the-art spa, and additional restaurants, which are all on schedule to open late 2020/early 2021.”

Oaklawn's rich 3-year-old program for horses with Kentucky Derby aspirations will begin opening day, Jan. 22, with the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes and will culminate closing day, May 1, with the $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational. In between are the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) on Feb. 15, Presidents' Day Monday, the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) on March 13, and the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) on April 10.

Oaklawn's five signature races that comprise the traditional Racing Festival of the South will be run over three Saturdays starting with the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies on Kentucky Oaks (G1) trail on April 3.

The $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1), a major stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby, will be run on April 10 along with three other stakes. Oaklawn's series for older horses culminates on April 17 with the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and the $1 million Apple Blossom (G1) for fillies and mares.

“Once finalized, the full purse program will be released soon,” added Oaklawn General Manager Wayne Smith. “We anticipate it will exceed $700,000 a day.”

Oaklawn's 2021 stakes schedule features a total of 33 races worth $11,000,000. Racing will be conducted Friday–Sunday for the first two weeks of the meet and then shift to a Thursday–Sunday schedule starting in February. There will be racing on Presidents Day – Monday, Feb. 15, but there will be no racing on Easter Sunday, April 4.

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