Smarty Jones Winner Far Right Ready to Return
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Smarty Jones Stakes winner Far Right is expected to resume his Triple Crown preparations at Oaklawn Park, but the son of Notional may skip next month's Southwest Stakes (gr. III) in favor of the Rebel (gr. II) March 14, trainer Ron Moquett said.
Far Right scored a 1 3/4-length victory over Bayerd in Oaklawn's one-mile Smarty Jones on Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan. 19.
Moquett said the morning of Jan. 22 that he's "real happy" with how Far Right came out of the Smarty Jones, but wants to monitor his progress before committing to his next start.
The 3-year-old chestnut colt, owned by Robert V. La Penta and Harry T. Rosenblum, is scheduled to resume training Jan. 23. Either the $300,000 Southwest Feb. 16 or the $750,000 Rebel, both at 1 1/16 miles, are the targets.
"I'll let the horse tell me when he wants to run," Moquett said. "I want to get to the big race, but I want to get there with a fresh, healthy, happy horse."
The Rebel is the final major local prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (gr. I) April 11. The Arkansas Derby falls three weeks before the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Far Right was coming off a troubled third-place finish in the $1 million Delta Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) Nov. 22 at Delta Downs. He bounced back with a ground-saving ride from Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who was aboard for the first time in the Smarty Jones. Far Right rallied from eighth at the quarter pole, winning his first stakes race while full of run as the 5-2 second favorite.
"I thought he should have won the last one," Moquett said, referring to the Delta Jackpot. "I was confident that if he got a good trip, he would give a good account of himself. My biggest concern was the race might be too short."
Moquett said Smith will again have the mount for Far Right's next start, whether it's the Southwest or Rebel. Bred in Kentucky by Nossab LLC and Patrick J. Crowley out of the Vindication mare Zindi, Far Right has compiled a 2-2-2 mark from seven starts with earnings of $245,766.
Elsewhere at Oaklawn, Mr. Z, who finished an eventful third in the Smarty Jones, will make his next start in the Southwest, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Thursday morning.
Mr. Z opened a clear lead turning for home in the one-mile Smarty Jones, but veered out suddenly to the middle of the track after being hit left-handed by Jon Court. After straightening up, Mr. Z ran on to finish behind Far Right and Bayerd, beaten 2 1/4 lengths as the even-money favorite.
"He's fine," Lukas said. "If Jon would have not hit him, I think, and just hand rode him, he might have won by five or six (lengths). He knifed him left-handed. He won't take that."
Lukas said he prefers Court ride the multiple graded stakes-placed Malibu Moon colt in the Southwest, but added owner Ahmed Zayat will have input on the decision.
"I would guess that would be my vote," Lukas said of staying with Court. "He knows you can't do certain things. He was absolutely going to waltz home."