How to bet the 2019 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has won the $500,000 Southwest (G3) on two prior occasions and is taking a serious swing at winning a third with five of the 11 runners in Monday's renewal over 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park. One day after several of his Southwest rivals hit the wire in a blanket finish to the $150,000 Smarty Jones last month, JERSEY AGENDA (#5) (5-1) made short work of an entry-level allowance field over the same one-mile distance. From a BRIS Speed rating perspective it was virtually equal to the Smarty Jones, and in the Southwest Jersey Agenda ranks first in BRIS Prime Power (136.6). Displaying versatility first out when finishing a half-length second on the turf at Kentucky Downs in September, Jersey Agenda broke his maiden by four lengths in the slop at Churchill a little more than two months later, and stretched out successfully in the aforementioned allowance win. Reacquired by breeders Charles Fipke as a two-year-old in training and well meant from the start, Jersey Agenda is an intriguing prospect in his stakes debut. He could work out an ideal trip behind Smarty Jones winner Gray Attempt and get first crack at that likely pacesetter. In addition to playing Jersey Agenda to Win, we'll also key him on top in Exactas over stablemate and Smarty Jones runner up Long Range Toddy (#10) (10-1), Gray Attempt (#1) (7-2), who might be vulnerable at this slightly longer trip, and Florida invader Cutting Humor (#3) (3-1), who'll attempt to give Todd Pletcher a second Southwest win. Win: #5 Exactas: #5 over #1, #3, #10 PHOTO: Jersey Agenda (c) Coady Photography/Oaklawn Park