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 Planning 57-Day Meet with Four $1-Million Stakes Races in 2021

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 GII Rebel S., $1-million GI Arkansas Derby, $1-million GII Oaklawn H. and $1-million GI Apple Blossom H.–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 H. Mar. 13 and Oaklawn Mile Apr. 10, which will be worth $500,000 and $400,000, respectively. The purse of the GIII Razorback H. 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 GI Kentucky Derby aspirations will begin opening day, Jan. 22, with the $150,000 Smarty Jones S. and will culminate closing day, May 1, with the $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational. In between are the $750,000 GIII Southwest S. Feb. 15, Presidents’ Day Monday, the $1-million GII Rebel S. Mar. 13, and the $1-million GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 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 GIII Fantasy S. for 3-year-old fillies on GI Kentucky Oaks trail Apr. 3.

Oaklawn’s series for older horses culminates Apr. 17 with the $1-million GII Oaklawn H. and the $1-million GI Apple Blossom 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.

The post Oaklawn Planning 57-Day Meet with Four $1-Million Stakes Races in 2021 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Cut Back To Seven Furlongs, No Parole Takes Them All The Way In Woody Stephens

Maggi Moss' Louisiana-bred 3-year-old No Parole absolutely dominated state-bred competition in his first three starts, leading to Triple Crown hopes for the son of Violence. A failed experiment in the G2 Rebel quickly convinced trainer Tom Amoss that the colt preferred shorter distances, and No Parole rebounded with a six-furlong allowance score at Oaklawn in his next start.

That victory convinced Amoss to try sprinting the colt against Grade 1 company, and this time the experiment was successful. On Saturday, No Parole led the field from gate-to-wire to win the G1 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park, completing seven furlongs over the fast main track in 1:21.41. Ridden by Luis Saez, the 3-1 chance No Parole defeated runner-up Echo Town by about four lengths.

No Parole broke well from the rail and immediately took up a one-length lead over his four rivals, settling in for fractions of :22.31 and :45.01. Post-time favorite Meru (2-1) chased from second, while Mischevious Alex, Echo Town, and Shoplifted all maintained relatively close order up the backstretch.

Mischevious Alex moved up to second around the far turn, and Shoplifted made a three-wide move from the rear of the field to threaten as well. Meanwhile, Echo Town moved up the rail to put himself in contention heading into the lane.

Saez shook the reins at No Parole and despite never changing leads, the colt pulled away toward the wire for an easy victory. Echo Town kept grinding at the rail to get up for second, while Shoplifted held third over Mischevious Alex. Favorite Meru finished last.

Bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms, No Parole is out of the stakes-winning Bluegrass Cat mare Plus One. Moss paid $75,000 for the colt as a yearling at the Keeneland September sale, and in his first start in December of his juvenile season, No Parole won by 14 1/4 lengths. His second start was similar, winning a first-level allowance at the Fair Grounds by 13 1/4 lengths.

Amoss shipped the colt to Delta Downs to run in the Louisiana-bred Premier Night Prince Stakes over a mile, and he won by 6 1/2 lengths at the finish. After his eighth-place effort in the Rebel, No Parole won an allowance at Oaklawn by 2 3/4 lengths.

Overall, No Parole's record stands at five wins from six starts, with earnings of $300,000.

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