MLK Day Action at Oaklawn Features $150,000 Smarty Jones

Despite earning $499,726 as a juvenile, the D. Wayne Lukas trainee has just a maiden win to his credit in eight career starts.  Most recently, Mr. Z finished third, beaten just a head in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity December 20.  Prior to that effort, Mr. Z suffered another close defeat, falling just a nose short of winning the Grade 3 $1 million Delta Jackpot.  John Court gets the call on Mr. Z breaking from post number three. 

Plenty of speed signed on 

Bayered and Hebbronville are co-second choice on the morning line at 9/2.  Bayered, trained by Steve Asmussen, has won three of five starts with a second and a third for earnings of $282,100.  The colt handled his first two-turn race with aplomb in his last start, winning the $255,000 Springboard Mile at Retama Park December 14.  Hebbronville, racing out of the Lynn Whiting barn, has been idle since being eased in the November 2 Grade 2 Nashua Stakes.  Prior to that effort, the son of Majesticperfection was 2 for 3 with a game second-place finish in the Grade 2 Futurity at Belmont.  Both runners figure to show plenty of speed from the opening bell. 

Stakes winner looking to get back on top 

Asmussen also saddles Lucky Player (5/1), who won the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes September 5 at Churchill Downs, but was well-beaten in both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes to close his two year-old year.