Far Right Works, Confirmed for Southwest

Far Right will make his next start in the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 16 at Oaklawn Park, Ron Moquett confirmed the morning of Jan. 31.

The trainer said Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will again ride the 3-year-old son of Notional  , who scored a 1 3/4-length victory Jan. 19 in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes.

In his first work since the one-mile Smarty Jones, Far Right breezed five furlongs in 1:02 1/5 just after the track opened for training Saturday morning. The Southwest is 1 1/16 miles.

"Right now, we're headed to the Southwest," co-owner Harry Rosenblum said. "Ron was elated with his work."

A businessman based in Little Rock, Ark., Rosenblum owns Far Right in partnership with Robert LaPenta, who enjoyed a long, successful association with Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito. Rosenblum and LaPenta were also partners in Truman's Commander, who ran in the 2011 Arkansas Derby (gr. I).

Rosenblum said LaPenta bought a one-third interest in Far Right following the colt's troubled third-place finish in the $1 million Delta Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) Nov. 22 at Delta Downs.

"Someone else had tried to buy two-thirds of the horse," Rosenblum said. "I told them, 'No.' He's a friend of mine, Bob. Bob's a great guy. We've had a business relationship outside of horse racing."

Rosenblum said Far Right will continue to alternate silks during his racing schedule (the colt wore LaPenta's familiar burgundy and gold colors in the Smarty Jones). The exception, Rosenblum said, is that Far Right would carry the Arkansas owner's silks in the Arkansas Derby, if the colt runs in the April 11 race.

"If we go to the Kentucky Derby, we'll flip a coin," Rosenblum said. "We'll have to have a ceremony."

LaPenta, a Connecticut resident, has campaigned War Pass, the country's champion 2-year-old male of 2007, and The Cliff's Edge  , program favorite for the 2004 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), among others.

Also on the work tab Jan. 31 was Harold Lerner's Arkansas Derby candidate The Truth Or Else, breezing a half mile in :49 1/5 Saturday morning in preparation for his 3-year-old debut. Trainer Kenny McPeek said the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) March 14 is the first major target for the son of Yes It's True  .

Another who could make his 3-year-old debut in the Rebel is I Spent It, among the country's top 2-year-olds last year. The colt is about two weeks away from his first breeze of the year.

"I think that's being conservative," trainer Tony Dutrow said Saturday morning.

I Spent It hasn't started since finishing last of six in the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) Oct. 4 at Belmont Park. The first winner sired by 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver  , he came out of the Champagne with a small bone chip in a knee, which Dutrow said was surgically removed.

He could make his 3-year-old debut in the Rebel or in the $100,000 Gazebo Stakes March 21. The Rebel, the final major local prep for the Arkansas Derby, is 1 1/16 miles. The Gazebo is six furlongs.

I Spent It won two of four starts last year including the Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II) in August at Saratoga Race Course.

Alex Lieblong, a member of the Arkansas Racing Commission, and his wife, JoAnn, own I Spent It in partnership with Three Chimneys Farm.