Caddo River stays on course for Derby
Like it were a second helping of chocolate cake, Caddo River gobbled up ground on the first second turn of his racing career Friday.
At a point where stamina might come into play, the Hard Spun colt punctuated his 3-yearold debut with an exclamation point. Drawing off like, well, the race’s namesake did so often, Caddo River won the $150,000 Smarty Jones by 10 1/4 lengths on opening day at Oaklawn Park.
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen finished a troubled second with Cowan and third with Big Thorn, who finished 17
1/2 lengths behind the top two. Oaklawn’s next major target for 3-year-olds is the Grade 3
$750,000 Southwest Feb. 15 at 1
1/16 miles.
Evening his record at 2-2, Caddo River passed his first test to the 147th Kentucky Derby with 10 qualifying points for the May 1 classic at Churchill Downs. As Lil E. Tee (1992) did for Magnolia oilman Cal Partee, Caddo River could represent the capstone in the racing career of his Arkansas owner, 81-year-old John Ed Anthony.
For now, Caddo River is on track to give Anthony his fourth victory (first since 1992) in the Arkansas Derby on April 10. Naming this one for an Arkansas landmark, which was true also of Arkansas Derby winners Temperence Hill and Pine Bluff, Anthony also raced Caddo River’s dam, Pangburn, a leading 3-year-old filly at Oaklawn in 2015.
To what extent trainer Brad Cox juggles Kentucky Derby prospects remains to be seen. Cox, after all, saddles presumptive 2-year-old male champion Essential Quality, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner last out and currently training in New Orleans.
At least, Cox is OK with jockeys on his Derby prospects. As with Luis Saez on Essential Quality, Florent Geroux has gained the necessary rapport with Caddo River.
As in his 9 1/2-length maiden win at Churchill Downs around a one-turn mile, Caddo River took advantage of his early speed Friday, furthering his racing education.
“He broke very alertly. Very nice and relaxed,” Geroux said. “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.”
Breaking from outside post
seven, Caddo River led one by length through the opening quarter in 23.12 seconds and maintained that advantage through a half in 47.16 seconds. With clear sailing, he led by six lengths when the field turned for home.
Racing without Lasix, as did the other Smarty Jones starters, Caddo River finished in 1:38.19. Second choice on the program, he paid $3.20, $2.60 and $2.10 as the post-time favorite.
“He did everything perfect,”
Geroux said. “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.”
Cowan, second last time in the Springboard Mile at Remington Park, traditionally a key prep for the Smarty Jones, had too much to handle early from the rank Hardly Swayed. With Ricardo Santana Jr’s help, Cowan got going on the far turn and reached the top of the stretch a clear second.
Said Santana: “It was his second time going long. I think the longer he goes, the better he’s going to be.” The track’s seven-time riding champion called the winner “a nice horse.”
Rider change: Joe Talamo took off his mounts Friday after testing positive at Oaklawn for COVID-19. An Oaklawn spokesman confirmed the positive, which was detected via a rapid test required by track health and safety protocols. With Talamo asymptomatic, he will require a negative test before he can return riding. He rode last weekend at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, where he won the Grade 3 Lecomte aboard Midnight Bourbon for trainer Steve Asmussen.
Opening day: Oaklawn’s 117th season of live racing began with a virtual Oklahoma land rush, Danny Caldwell of Poteau owning two of the first five winners and investing some profits at the claiming box. Trainer Federico Villafranco won three of the first five races, two for Caldwell and another for Hot Springs native Scotty Caroom. Ramon Vazquez rode two winners for Villafranco. Geroux matched Villafranco’s three winners, sweeping the late daily double for Brad Cox.
Fifth Season: The Oaklawn Handicap is on the minds of horsemen represented in today’s
$100,000 Fifth Season, a prep for the Grade 2 $1 million race April
17. The field includes Grade 1 winner Combatant, defending champion Pioneer Spirit and Night Ops, the 2-1 program favorite for Cox and owner Steve Landers, a prominent Arkansas automobile dealer and member of the Arkansas Racing Commission.
Cox trains nine of the 37 Fifth Season nominees, winning last year’s Grade 3 Razorback Handicap winner with Warrior’s Charge and the Essex Handicap with Night Ops.
“This is just a good series here,” Cox said. “It all comes down to the Oaklawn Handicap. We’ve been able to win all of those races, with the exception of the Oaklawn Handicap. We’ve kicked on the door with Carve (Fifth Season winner in 2015) and Warrior’s Charge (2020 Oaklawn Handicap second). That’s really a race I’ve zeroed on.”
Robertino Diodoro, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in races won last year, hopes Pioneer Spirit returns to form after losing seven races since the 2020 Fifth Season.
“He’s a funny horse,” Diodoro said. “He runs when he feels like it. He does like this racetrack better than most tracks. That’s the part that’s funny about him. He’s a very quirky horse.”
Seven entered the one-mile race, listed as the sixth of nine races with a 3:39 p.m. post time.