Far Right Breezes, Set for Southwest Stakes
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Far Right completed his major preparations for the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (gr. II), the highlight of the upcoming Presidents Day card at Oaklawn Park, by breezing a half mile in company Feb. 8.
Racing secretary Pat Pope said Sunday morning that nine horses remain early probables for the 1 1/16-mile Southwest Feb. 16. In addition to Smarty Jones Stakes winner Far Right, Bayerd, Mr. Z, Private Prospect, Instant Replay, Kantune, War Story, Bold Conquest, and The Truth Or Else are expected, Pope said.
Much to the delight of trainer Ron Moquett, Far Right completed the distance over a fast-rated surface in :49 flat under Greta Kuntzweiler. Stablemate Sakima, a lightly raced 3-year-old who broke his maiden Jan. 17, worked in tandem and was credited with the same time.
Sunday marked Far Right's second work since winning the Smarty Jones in his 3-year-old debut Jan. 19. Moquett said he wanted the pair, out just after the track opened Sunday morning, to go a "shade under :49," gallop out well, and finish up together.
"It was exactly what I asked the riders to do," Moquett said. "I was proud of my horses and proud of my riders because I told them to do exactly that. It's very rare when you're dealing with these guys that it works out exactly like you want it to do."
Moquett said Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will again have the mount on Far Right, who won the one-mile Smarty Jones by 1 3/4 lengths over Bayerd. Owned by Robert LaPenta and Harry Rosenblum, the son of Notional has compiled a 2-2-2 mark in seven races and earnings of $245,766.
Post positions for the Southwest, which closed with 66 nominations, will be drawn Feb. 13. All 66 horses nominated are also automatically nominated to the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) March 14 and the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) April 11.