Tipsheet: 2024 Smarty Jones Stakes

A talented field of nine will travel 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park on Monday in the $300,000 Smarty Jones S. The 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series contest offers the top-five finishers qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 structure. 

Smarty Jones Stakes Picks

• #3 Lagynos
• #4 Mystic Dan
• #2 Catching Freedom
• #6 Gettysburg Address

Smarty Jones Stakes Wagers

• $20 win and place #3 Lagynos
• $5 exacta key box 3 with 2,4,6
• $3 trifecta key 3 with 2,4,6

Smarty Jones Stakes Contenders

#1 INFORMED PATRIOT: Dark bay son of Hard Spun got the rail and comes off a pair of third-place results, including the Street Sense S. (G3). Asmussen trainee has good early speed and and will be fit while making his third route race of the season. Ricardo Santana, Jr. will be in the silks. 

#2 CATCHING FREEDOM: Constitution colt looked good in a winning debut and exits a fourth vs allowance race in his second career engagement. The first of a trio from the Brad Cox shedrow scratched out of a stakes race at Fair Grounds to contest this event, and if he takes another forward move on Monday, he will have a big say in the outcome. Christian Torres inherits the ride. 

#3 LAGYNOS: Top pick from the Asmussen barn came home well to eclipse allowance foes beneath the Twin Spires last time out and looms large with move forward in this spot. Chestnut son of Kantharos is 2-for-3 lifetime with a good third, and he has posted a trio of solid morning drills leading up to this one, as well. Joel Rosario retains the ride. 

#4 MYSTIC DAN: McPeek pupil was a superb maiden winner sprinting at Churchill Downs two back, prior to making a move but tiring late in a route attempt last time out. Goldencents colt has the gate presence to be in the mix early, and the Kentucky-bred is cut out to like a route of ground. Julien Leparoux picks up the mount atop the talented colt. 

#5 MO WINNING: Dark bay son of Mo Town was a smart debut winner in a sprint at Remington Park and faces a major class hike for Diodoro. The $100,000 yearling purchase has trained in solid fashion in preparation for this stakes bow, but he would be a bit of a surprise while facing this cast. 

#6 GETTYSBURG ADDRESS: Brad Cox trainee led to the turn for home before fading to fourth in the Street Sense S. (G3) in his second career assignment. Kentucky-bred will run with blinkers off in this one, and he will still be forwardly placed from the early stages with Flavien Prat retaining the ride. 

#7 JUST STEEL: D. Wayne Lukas trainee settled early and closed with a rush to annex the Eddie Brown S. at 6 1/2  panels in his latest showing. The $500,000 son of Justify is bred to run long, and his steady morning drills hint that he will eventually like traveling a route of ground. Ramon Vazquez will take the reins. 

#8 CHAPERONE: Expensive Curlin colt graduated in his latest offering, but the Ron Moquett charge has yet to show that he is fast enough to run with this type at this stage of his development. 

#9 FIDGET: The third of the Cox trio made good in his first try on the dirt when defeating allowance runners at Indiana and shows two local drills in preparing for his stakes bow. More Than Ready colt is perfect since adding blinkers following an unplaced debut and rates as a possible exotics contender with Luan Machado taking the reins.