Coal Battle Continues Down Derby Trail in Smarty Jones

One year ago, the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park served as the introduction to the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail for eventual winner Mystik Dan . Eight newly turned 3-year-olds will attempt to embark on the same path in the $250,000 race Jan. 4.

Mystik Dan finished fifth that day behind Catching Freedom , who would finish fourth in the Derby and third behind Seize the Grey   and Mystik Dan in the Preakness Stakes (G1). Mystik Dan would bounce back with a victory in Oaklawn's Southwest Stakes (G3) and a third in the Arkansas Derby (G1) before he wore the roses.

The 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones is the first of four Oaklawn races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, and it offers qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers.

The 10 points for victory would elevate Norman Stables' Coal Battle  to second on the leaderboard after snagging an initial 10 points in a Dec. 13 victory in the Remington Springboard Mile Stakes at Remington Park.

Video: Remington Springboard Mile S. (BT)

The son of Coal Front  stretches out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time but holds a perfect 3-for-3 record on the dirt. The Lonnie Briley trainee has netted $307,625 in five starts.

While Coal Battle breaks from the far outside, the field's other stakes winner, Kale's Angel , breaks from the rail. That victory came Dec. 6 at Oaklawn in the 5 1/2-furlong Advent Stakes, the Complexity   colt's first start on dirt after four California turf starts to start his career for trainer Peter Miller and owners Tom Kagele and Ernest Marchosky.

Three last-out maiden winners make their first jump into stakes company, including Gary and Mary West's Hot Property . The Medaglia d'Oro   colt won his Nov. 24 debut at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots by 3 3/4 lengths for Brad Cox, who trained three of the last four Smarty Jones winners.

"Look, he's definitely a two-turn horse," Cox said. "Glad the race is a mile and a sixteenth, as opposed to the old distance of one mile. I think it will suit him. Ran really well the first time. Took a little pressure on the front end, fought it off and finished up well. Once again, looks like a horse, the farther the better. It is a step up with having only the one race, but not a lot of options. I think the timing fits well. Pretty smart horse. I think he'll handle the ship and, hopefully, gets a good trip."

That front-running victory came over 1 1/16 miles, making him one of only two contenders with a victory at the distance. The other is Roncelli Family Trust, Kagele, and Michael Roney's Curvino , a second entrant for Miller. His 1 1/16-mile win came over a muddy Oaklawn track Dec. 15 against $100,000 maiden claimers in career start No. 7.

The other last-out maiden winner is Walmac Farm's Mo Quality , who graduated at second asking in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint at Churchill Downs Nov. 23 for trainer Christopher Davis.

Keith Desormeaux sends Optical  to the gate for Don't Tell My Wife Stables exiting a tough allowance victory by a head at Churchill Downs Nov. 24. Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas will also try to work his magic and spring an upset with Calumet Farm homebred maiden Bon Temps .