Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Mourinho can give Baffert first Smarty Jones victory
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has compiled an outstanding record in the 3-year-old stakes series at Oaklawn Park, winning 12 such races since 2010. But there’s one race in the division that has eluded him.
“I’ve never won the Smarty Jones,” he said.
That could change Monday, when Baffert sends out Mourinho in the $150,000 race that carries 17 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. The horse should go favored over six others off his runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Bob Hope at Del Mar in November. Mourinho’s chief rivals include Combatant, a closing second in the $400,000 Springboard Mile in December at Remington, and Navistar, a sharp maiden winner last out at Gulfstream Park.
The first four finishers will earn Derby points on a scale of 10-4-2-1. The Smarty Jones will be run at a mile and ends at the sixteenth pole. The forecast is for a high of 53 degrees and a 20 percent chance of rain, according to The Weather Channel.
SMARTY JONES (RACE 8) KEY CONTENDERS
Mourinho, by Super Saver Last 3 Beyers: 90-70-86
◗ Baffert – who has won Oaklawn’s Southwest Stakes four times, Rebel Stakes six times, and Arkansas Derby twice – rerouted Mourinho to the Smarty Jones after scratching the horse from the Grade 3 Sham at Santa Anita. Mourinho will be making his two-turn debut and will have blinkers put back on after racing without them in the seven-furlong Bob Hope.
“We took the blinkers off, trying to get him to relax a little bit, and he was sort of lost,” Baffert said. “He’s better with a little bit of a blinker, especially going two turns. He’s quick. He’s fast. We’ll see if he can stretch his speed out.”
◗ Mourinho won his debut in September at Santa Anita and was flattered when thirdplace finisher Instilled Regard – who was to run in the Lecomte Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds – came back to win a maiden special weight and was placed second in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity.
◗ Following the maiden win, Mourinho ran second in the $73,000 Speakeasy in October at Santa Anita before making his graded stakes debut in the Bob Hope on Nov. 11. He finished 1 1/2 lengths behind Greyvitos, who in his next start captured the Springboard Mile.
◗ Mourinho is a half-brother to Sandy’s Surprise, the dominant winner of the $300,000 Zia Park Oaks in November. Mourinho, who races for Phoenix Thoroughbred III, will break from post 4 under Drayden Van Dyke.
Combatant, by Scat Daddy Last 3 Beyers: 84-77-64
◗ He put in a sustained run for second in the Springboard Mile, which Greyvitos won in a stakes-record time of 1:37.14 on Dec. 17. The race was the third career out for Combatant.
“I thought he ran well,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “A nice horse beat him. He needs to move forward, and I think that he will.”
◗ Combatant won a maiden special weight in his second start, a one-turn mile Oct. 29 at Churchill Downs. He is a May foal.
“He’s talented,” Asmussen said. “He’s going to be a good horse. I think he has room to develop physically.”
◗ Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount from the rail for Winchell Thoroughbreds and the Arkansas-based Willis Horton Racing.
Navistar, by Union Rags Beyers: 79-81
◗ He attempts to give owner Bob LaPenta his third win in the Smarty Jones. The owner won the race in partnership last year with Uncontested and in 2015 with Far Right. The Smarty Jones was first run in 2008.
◗ Navistar launched his career Oct. 20 at Belmont, finishing second in a maiden special weight at 6 1/2 furlongs and earning a strong Beyer Speed Figure of 81.
“We hooked Mask, who seems to be one of the better horses in Florida right now,” said LaPenta’s racing manager, John Panagot. “We knew going in we probably wanted more distance, so we were happy with the effort.”
◗ One start later, Navistar moved to a one-turn mile and was a clear maiden special weight winner Dec. 16. John Velazquez was aboard and retains the mount for trainer Todd Pletcher.