Far Right Takes Straight Path in Smarty Jones

Harry Rosenblum and Robert LaPenta's Far Right kept a straight path through the stretch, while favored Mr. Z didn't, and that made the difference in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes  at Oaklawn Park Jan. 19.



Sent off as the second-choice in the field of nine in the holiday feature, Far Right rallied from last up the rail under Mike Smith to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths over Bayerd.



Mr. Z, the even-money favorite, turned for home in front with a two-length lead but began to drift out through the stretch under jockey Jon Court, costing him precious ground as he finished third, a half-length behind Bayerd.



Far Right paid $7.40, $4.00, and $2.60, with Bayerd returning $4.60 and $2.60, and Mr. Z worth $2.40 to show. Private Prospect got up to be fourth and was followed out by American Sailor, Hebbronville, Paid Admission, Lucky Player, and Runaway Bling.



The victory earned Far Right 10 points on the road to the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), and he now sits seventh on the Derby leaderboard with 12 points after previously earning two points when finishing third in the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot (gr. III) Nov. 22 under jockey Corey Lanerie.



Longshot American Sailor set the pace in the Smarty Jones, with Mr. Z pressing through a half-mile in :46.92, while jockey Mike Smith was content to keep Far Right in last.



Down the backstretch, Smith asked for more from the son of Notional   and Far Right began to inch closer while continuing to save ground hugging the rail.



Entering the far turn, Smith had to steady Far Right briefly to get around the tiring Lucky Player, but went right back to the rail and rode it home to victory, running the mile in 1:38.43 over the track labeled fast.

"He ran really, really well that day," Smith said of Far Right's Delta Jackpot effort. "It was a bullring and he was in tight down on the fence the last part of it and he really didn't get a clear run. I thought, 'Wow, with a clear run, this colt could really be alright.' He stayed far to the left instead of the right this time, and I got through.

"I really won with something left," said Smith, who credited Lanerie for his advice on how to ride Far Right. "I definitely think he'll go on an extra sixteenth to an eighth of a mile, maybe even a mile and a quarter."



"All the credit goes to the horse," Moquett said. "He got an awesome ride (from Mike Smith). We felt like we could have won the last race (Delta Jackpot) with better luck and fortunately, things broke in our favor today. We're very grateful and happy."



"I felt like I was on the winner; I believed I was on the winner,' jockey Court said of Mr. Z. "He's had a tendency to lug out in some of his race, but today was a bolt. I'm not really sure of the reason. Once I was able to straighten him out, he ran straight and was fortunately able to hold third."

Far Right, who was bred in Kentucky by Nossab LLC and Patrick J. Crowley, cost $2,500 as a yearling at the 2013 January Keeneland horses of all ages sale and finished second in his first two starts for trainer William Helmbrecht last spring.



He was purchased by Rosenblum and given to trainer Ron Moquett, who had the colt ready to run in his return to the races Sept. 13 when he broke his maiden by five lengths at Churchill Downs.



Far Right then finished fourth in the Futurity Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park Oct. 5 before finishing third in the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs Oct. 26.



The colt then made his next start in the Delta Downs Jackpot where he finished a troubled third in the race won by Ocho Ocho Ocho with Mr. Z second.



After that start, LaPenta purchased part of the promising colt.