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Caddo River Out of Derby

Shortleaf Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun) will not make the line-up for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby after spiking a fever over the weekend.

“We noticed he was off his feed and took his temperature yesterday afternoon. It was slightly elevated,” trainer Brad Cox said. “It's just really bad timing being this close to the Derby. We drew blood on him [Sunday] morning and his white cell counts were a little high. We just can't run him on Saturday with being a little off his game.”

The defection of the GI Arkansas Derby runner-up will allow GII Remsen S. winner Brooklyn Strong (Wicked Strong) to enter the Derby field. The Mark Schwartz colorbearer, most recently fifth in the Apr. 3 GII Wood Memorial, is scheduled to work at Parx Monday morning for trainer Daniel Velazquez and could ship into Churchill Downs Tuesday morning if all goes well.

After sending his Derby quartet out to jog Sunday morning, trainer Todd Pletcher announced a Derby rider for Sainthood (Mshawish). The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks runner-up will be ridden next Saturday by Corey Lanerie.

“We know how well Corey rides Churchill,” Pletcher said. “That was the key element in giving him the mount. We're thinking along the lines that we did with [2010 Derby winner] Super Saver and Calvin Borel. [Borel] rode this track so well and that earned him the mount then.”

Lanerie has ridden in the Derby four times with his best finish a runner-up effort aboard Lookin At Lee (Lookin at Lucky) in 2017.

Hronis Racing and Talla Racing's unbeaten GI Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and Strauss Bros Racing's GII Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) arrived at Churchill Downs shortly after noon Sunday following a flight from Southern California.

Trainer Steve Asmussen sent out his GI Kentucky Oaks contenders to work under the Twin Spires Sunday. Stonestreet Stables' homebreds Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) and Clairiere (Curlin) completed their final Oaks preparations both working four furlongs over a “good” main track in a pair of maintenance solo drills.

GIII Fantasy S. Pauline's Pearl worked immediately after the track opened for Derby and Oaks horses at 7:30 and went in :50.60, with splits of :13 and :25.40 under exercise rider Wilson Fabian.

GII Rachel Alexandra S. winner Clairiere followed about a minute behind under Angel Garcia and went in :49.60, with splits of :11.80, :23.80, while galloping out in 1:03.40.

Pauline's Pearl was credited with the 22nd fastest time of 27 at the distance, while Clairiere was 10th fastest. Just over an hour later, Asmussen was beaming back Barn 38.

“We're ecstatic,” Asmussen said. “Pauline's Pearl went first and my first words to Wilson were 'How did she go?' and he said, 'Beautiful.' Both are regular riders of the horses so they are good measures and extremely familiar with them.”

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Essential Quality to Blue Grass, Arkansas Derby Next for Caddo River

Defending juvenile champion Essential Quality (Tapit) is expected to make his next start in the Apr. 3 GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland, according to trainer Brad Cox Tuesday. The Godolphin homebred, who is slated to post his final major work this Saturday, most recently won the GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Feb. 27.

“The Blue Grass is what we have zeroed in on,” confirmed Cox. “He's done extremely well [since the Southwest]. We breezed him last Saturday [Mar. 13], and we clocked him at a half in :48.20, well in hand, and I'm excited about how he looked [5/84]. He galloped out in 1:01 and three, also well in hand.”

He added, “He'll go five-eighths at the Fair Grounds Saturday morning and then on to the Blue Grass.”

Earning TDN Rising Star status following an impressive debut winner at Churchill last September, Essential Quality added consecutive wins in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity in October and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile back at the Lexington oval Nov. 6.

Also representing Cox on the Triple Crown trail are TDN Rising Star Mandaloun (Into Mischief), slated for Saturday's GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, and Smarty Jones S. scorer Caddo River (Hard Spun), who most recently finished fifth behind dominant winner Concert Tour (Street Sense) in the GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn.

“We weren't quite where needed to be with Caddo River last Saturday [in the GII Rebel S.],” admitted Cox. “Caddo River showed that he wants to be very close, and probably, the longer the distance–a mile and an eighth and beyond–he would likely be more forwardly placed. Hopefully, we can make some adjustments there and we can be back on track for the [GI] Arkansas Derby [Apr. 10].”

Runner-up in his first two career starts in New York last fall, Caddo River posted an eye-catching score going a mile at Churchill Downs Nov. 15.

And while 'Derby Fever' can often prove overwhelming with even one Classic contender, Cox admits he relishes the added pressure.

“There is a lot that goes into the Derby. I think it's more because you're not only watching your horse, but you're also watching every impressive horse throughout the country,” he explained. “When there is a horse that breaks its maiden and you wake up the next morning and there is a new TDN Rising Star on your email, the first thing you do you click and watch the replay. There is definitely more to the Kentucky Derby dream. It represents so many horses and so many people's goals. I really enjoy it. This is what it's all about. Watching other horses' races and trying to figure out how our horses will stack up.”

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Caddo River Demolishes Smarty Jones Rivals As Oaklawn Meet Begins

Breaking from the outside post in a field of seven, Shortleaf Stable's homebred Caddo River went straight to the front under Florent Geroux, set all the fractions and pulled away to a 10 1/4-length victory in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes on opening day of the 2021 Oaklawn meet in Hot Springs, Ark.

Caddo River, trained by Brad Cox, paid $3.20 to win as the 3-5 favorite after traveling one-mile around two turns in 1:38.19. Cowan finished second at 2-1 odds for Steve Asmussen, with stablemate Big Thorn 7 1/4 lengths back in third and Moonlite Strike fourth.

The Smarty Jones is an official qualifying points race for the Kentucky Derby offering 10-4-2-1 points to the top four finishers. In accordance to new rules put in place for 2021, starters cannot earn qualifying points if they are administered race-day Lasix to treat exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. All seven starters in the Smarty Jones raced Lasix-free.

Updated Kentucky Derby points leaderboard

By Hard Spun out of the Congrats mare Pangburn, Caddo River came into the Smarty Jones off a 9 1/2-length maiden victory at Churchill Downs Nov. 15 going a one-turn mile. He finished second in two previous races, a seven-furlong maiden test at Saratoga Sept. 5 and a Belmont test at the same distance on Oct. 11.

Caddo River outhustled Hardly Swayed for the early lead, going the opening quarter mile in :23.12 and the half in :47.16. Going into the far turn, Caddo River began to open up and he was well in control after six furlongs in 1:12.42 and seven panels in 1:25.26. He cruised to the sixteenth pole short-stretch finish line while widening his advantage with every stride.

“He broke very alertly,” said Geroux. “Very nice and relaxed. You want to see these type horses doing it the right way. It's easy to go to the lead and keep on going. You want them to relax and do everything right. He did everything perfect. The distance doesn't look like it's going to be a problem. Very excited about what's coming up ahead of us with him. Looks like he can run all day, which is a good problem. Hopefully, we can go on, go up the stepping stones and have a nice horse for the first Saturday in May.”

John Ed Anthony, a Hot Springs resident who races in the name of Shortleaf Stable, has won the G1 Arkansas Derby on three occasions, with Temperence Hill in 1980, Demons Begone in 1987 and Pine Bluff in 1992. With Caddo River likely headed down the path to the April 10 renewal of the meet's biggest race, he could be in line for a fourth.

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Caddo River Could Give Owner John Ed Anthony Sweep Of Oaklawn’s Derby Prep Series

No owner has won all four of what are now Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points races, but one will have that chance Friday when trainer Brad Cox sends out Caddo River for John Ed Anthony's Shortleaf Stable in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes.

Probable post time for the Smarty Jones, a 1-mile event that highlights Oaklawn's opening-day nine-race program and goes as the eighth race, is 4:11 p.m. (Central). First post is 12:30 p.m. There is a 40-percent chance of showers Friday morning before skies clear and afternoon temperatures climb to the mid-50s, according to weatherunderground.com.

Caddo River is among seven horses entered in the Smarty Jones, which will offer 17 points (10-4-2-1) to the top four finishers, respectively, toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15, $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) March 13 and the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 10.

No owner has dominated Oaklawn's Triple Crown prep series like Anthony, 81, a Hot Springs lumberman who rose to acclaim in the late 1970s when his horses ran under the Loblolly Stable banner. Anthony hasn't had Smarty Jones starter since the race was inaugurated in 2008, but he's won the Southwest a record three times (1984, 1987 and 1991), Rebel a record five times (1980, 1984, 1987, 1992 and 1993) and the Arkansas Derby a record three times (1980, 1987 and 1992).

Many of Anthony's best horses were named for points in Arkansas, including Cox's Ridge, the owner's first nationally prominent runner; Temperence Hill, the country's champion 3-year-old male of 1980 after winning the Rebel, Arkansas Derby and Belmont Stakes; Prairie Bayou, the country's champion 3-year-old male of 1993 after winning the Preakness; and Pine Bluff, the 1992 Arkansas Derby and Preakness winner.

Caddo River, by 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun, will be making his two-turn and stakes debut after a blowout Nov. 15 maiden score at Churchill Downs to close his 2020 campaign. A homebred for Anthony, the colt is named for a tributary that begins about 55 miles southwest of Hot Springs.

“The Caddo River is a beautiful stream,” Anthony said. “I keep a long list of potential names and this was a promising horse. I thought the name fit very well. That was the reason I chose it. I can't tell you how many horses I've given good names that didn't work out. Of course, I've wasted some really good names on some horses that turned out not to be good racehorses. But you always hope that the good name will attach to a good horse.”

Caddo River made three starts at 2, finishing second in two 7-furlong races in New York before breaking his maiden by 9 ½-front-running lengths in a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs. Caddo River delivered as the odds-on favorite and earned a career-high 83 Beyer Speed Figure. Caddo River has four published workouts at Oaklawn, the last a Jan. 16 move over a fast track when he covered 5 furlongs, in company, in 1:00.40.

“This COVID has cramped our style across the board and so I'm not as familiar with the horse as I normally would be,” Anthony said. “I usually smoke them over in the spring in Ocala and then again in the summer, sometimes up at Saratoga. But last year, as you know, that wasn't, I guess, appropriate, certainly for a man of my age. I know him by what I'm being told and, of course, Brad thinks highly of him and feels like, as Brad says, 'This is a good horse.' So, we'll see how good.”

Caddo River is out of the Anthony-raced mare, Pangburn, an allowance winner at the 2015 Oaklawn meeting. Pangburn then finished third in the $150,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) and fourth in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3), Oaklawn's two biggest events for 3-year-old fillies. All three races were 1 1/16 miles.

The projected Smarty Jones field from the rail out: Martini Blu, Francisco Arrieta to ride, 115 pounds, 6-1 on the morning line; Lawlessness, David Cohen, 115, 12-1; Cowan, Ricardo Santana Jr., 115, 9-5; Big Thorn, David Cabrera, 117, 9-2; Hardly Swayed, Martin Garcia, 115, 12-1; Moonlite Strike, Joe Talamo, 115, 4-1; and Caddo River, Florent Geroux, 115, 5-2.

Cowan and Big Thorn, a recent arrival from south Florida, are trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who won the 2020 Smarty Jones with Gold Street. Cowan finished a fast-closing second in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) Nov. 6 at Keeneland and completed his 2-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish in the $200,000 Springboard Mile Dec. 18 at Remington Park.

Big Thorn, previously with trainer David Fawkes, won the $60,000 off-the-turf Juvenile Turf Stakes Nov. 22 at Gulfstream Park West for prominent Arkansas owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong. The Lieblongs bred Big Thorn and campaigned his sire, Grade 1 winner The Big Beast.

Moonlite Strike, a winner of two consecutive starts in south Florida, will be making his two-turn and stakes debut for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who has a string at Oaklawn for the first time in 2021. Lawlessness is also entered in an entry-level allowance race Saturday, but will run in the Smarty Jones, trainer Ingrid Mason said Wednesday morning.

The Smarty Jones is the first of 33 scheduled stakes races during the 57-day meeting that ends May 1.

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