Forloveofcountry figures for Smarty Jones

Trainer Jimmy DiVito said Forloveofcountry will likely return to stakes action on Friday in the $150,000 Smarty Jones for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn Park.

A son of Sky Mesa, Forloveofcountry is coming off a 1 1/4-length first-level allowance score at a mile Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs. Forloveofcountry has already had two stakes starts, but both races were on turf.

"I think he can do both," DiVito said. "The first time he ran, he ran on the dirt and ran a good race at Churchill Downs. I think he's fine on the dirt."

After finishing third in his June 21 career debut at Churchill Downs -- a sprint taken off the grass because of rain -- Forloveofcountry made his next three starts on turf, the first two at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in California.

He broke his maiden July 28 and finished fourth, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, in the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes on Sept. 2. Forloveofcountry returned to dirt after finishing ninth in the Grade 3 $250,000 Bourbon Stakes on Oct. 7 at Keeneland Race Course in Kentucky.

"He's shown some promise from the beginning," said DiVito, who trains Forloveofcountry, a $300,000 OBS March 2-year-old in training purchase, for Doubledown Stables Inc. (Richard Templer).

DiVito said Joe Bravo will have the mount on Forloveofcountry in the 1-mile Smarty Jones, Oaklawn's first of four major preps for the Kentucky Derby.

Post positions for the Smarty Jones and entries for the rest of opening day were drawn Friday. Nominations to the $125,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies to be run on Feb. 2 will close on Thursday.

The Martha Washington is Oaklawn's first of three major preps for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, the country's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies. The Smarty Jones offers 17 points to the top four finishers (10-4-2-1) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

Other locally based 3-year-olds pointing for the Smarty Jones include Long Range Toddy and Bankit, 1-2, respectively, in the $400,000 Springboard Mile on Dec. 16 at Remington Park in Oklahoma City for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen; Gray Attempt, winner of the $74,250 Sugar Bowl Stakes Dec. 22 at Fair Grounds Race Course in Louisiana for trainer Jinks Fires, of Hot Springs; Six Shooter, winner of the $75,000 Big Drama Stakes Jan. 5 at Delta Downs Racetrack in Louisiana for trainer Paul Holthus, of Hot Springs; and Super Steed, fourth as the favorite in the Sugar Bowl for trainer Larry Jones.

Six Shooter, in company, worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.80 over a fast track Thursday morning. The gelded son of Trappe Shot covered his final quarter-mile in :23 3-5 and galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:14 3-5. Six Shooter breezed with older stablemate Determinant, who went 5 furlongs in 1:02 1-5.

Long Range Toddy and Bankit both schooled in the gate Thursday morning after working Monday.

Sports on 01/19/2019

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