Hot Springs, AR (SportsNetwork.com) – Far Right, winner of the Smarty Jones
Stakes, splashed his way to victory Sunday in the $300,000 Southwest Stakes at
Oaklawn Park.
The 1 1/16-mile Southwest, originally scheduled for President’s Day, drew a
field of 11 3-year-olds and was raced over a sloppy track. Far Right, ridden
by Mike Smith, went off as the 5-2 second pick behind 2-1 favorite Mr. Z and
jockey Corey Nakatani.
Mr. Z, the beaten Smarty Jones favorite, quickly took the lead and set the
pace as Far Right stalked the leader from mid-pack. Racing second up the
backstretch was 5-1 third pick Hillbilly Royalty who was entered because of
the postponement.
Mr. Z continued on the lead as Far Right, trained by Ron Moquett, gained
ground along the rail over the sloppy main track. The leader, wide off the
turn again, was caught down the stretch by 22-1 longshot The Truth Or Else and
Hillbilly Royalty.
Far Right, who rallied along the inside to win the Smarty Jones last month,
had an open rail again allowing Smith to drive the chestnut colt to a half-
length victory over The Truth Or Else with Mr. Z holding third and Bold
Conquest fourth.
The time for the Southwest on a sloppy track was 1:47.50.
The win was worth 10 points in the Kentucky Derby points system. Far Right,
owned by Robert LaPenta and Harry Rosenblum, now has 22 points toward a place
in the 20-horse field for the Run for the Roses on May 2.
Far Right posted his second straight stakes win and third win overall from
eight starts. The colt recorded $180,000 with the victory and has banked
$425,766.
The 3-year-old was second his first two times out last year and found the
winner’s circle last September at Churchill Downs. He followed with a fourth
in Belmont Park’s Futurity on Oct. 5 and three weeks later was third in the
Street Sense Stakes at Churchill. Far Right was third in the Delta Downs
Jackpot on Nov. 22 behind Ocho Ocho Ocho with Mr. Z second.
Far Right returned $7.40, $3.40 and $2.80. The Truth Or Else paid $14.00 and
$7.60, and Mr. Z paid $3.40 to show.
Next at Oaklawn for 3-year-olds will be the $750,000 Rebel Stakes on March 14
followed by the $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 11.
