Smarty Jones Stakes

The Smarty Jones Stakes was inaugurated in 2008 in order to honor one of the best horses of recent memory. It is a one mile race at Oaklawn Park and serves as a precursor to both the Louisiana and Arkansas Derbies, as well as a stage on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. It currently offers a purse of $250,000.

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Bet the Smarty Jones Stakes

Location: Oaklawn Park Racetrack, Hot Springs, AR

Inaugural Race: 2008

TV Coverage: Stream live on TwinSpires.com!

Current Distance: 1 1/16th miles

Track Type: Dirt

Age Qualification: 3YO

Purse: $250,000

Race Date: Saturday, January 4th

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2025 Smarty Jones Stakes Race Results

POSTHORSEJOCKEY / TRAINERWIN / PLACE / SHOW
8
Coal Battle
Juan P. Vargas / Lonnie Briley
$11.00 / $4.20 / $2.60
5
Mo Quality
Junior Alvarado / Christopher Davis
$4.00 / $2.60
1
Kale's Angel
Ramon A. Vazquez / Peter Miller
$2.20
4
Bon Temps
Martin Garcia / D. Wayne Lukas
6
Hot Property
Flavien Prat / Brad H. Cox
2
Hot Gunner
Harry Hernandez / Scott E. Young

Exotic Payoffs:

  • $1 Exacta (8-5) Paid: $19.30
  • $0.50 Trifecta (8-5-1) Paid: $22.75
  • $0.10 Superfecta (8-5-1-4) Paid: $28.10

Watch the 2025 Smarty Jones Stakes

History of the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park

The namesake of this race is one of the most beloved of this generation. During an electric season in 2004, Smarty Jones won the Count Fleet, Southwest, Rebel and Arkansas Derby on a warpath that eventually saw him secure the Kentucky Derby as a 3/1 favorite, and then the Preakness Stakes. He would fall second to Birdstone in the Belmont as his Triple Crown dream was shattered. It was his only loss during a brilliant, nine-race career where he went 8-1-0 and was recognized as the 2004 U.S. Champion 3 Year Old.

Uncontested set the speed record for this challenge while claiming victory in the 2017 renewal. His time of 1:36.32 was the first and only to break the 1:37.00 barrier. Unfortunately, this was the only win of Uncontested’s career.

To date, the Smarty Jones Stakes has yet to produce a winner in any of the three American Classics. Will Take Charge is perhaps the most successful competitor to have won the Smarty Jones, winning in 2013 before placing 8th, 7th and 10th in the Triple Crown.

Caleb’s Posse scored in the 2011 Smarty Jones Stakes and skipped the Triple Crown, but capped off that season by winning the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile over Shackleford and Tres Borrachos.

Far Right won the 2015 Smarty Jones and then went on to claim the Southwest Stakes, before losing the Arkansas Derby to American Pharoah. The two would meet again in the Kentucky Derby, but American Pharoah would win out as a favorite as Far Right fell all the way back to fifteenth.

Smarty Jones Stakes Past Winners

Year
Winner
Jockey / Trainer
Distance / Time
2025
Coal Battle
Juan P. Vargas / Lonnie Briley
1 1/16 M / 1:46.43
2024
Catching Freedom
Cristian A. Torres / Brad H. Cox
1 1/16 M / 1:44.59
2023
Victory Formation
Flavien Prat / Brad H. Cox
1 M / 1:38.14
2022
Dash Attack
David Cohen / Kenneth G. McPeek
1 M / 1:39.44
2021
Caddo River
Florent Geroux / Brad H. Cox
1 M / 1:38.19
2020
Gold Street
Martin Garcia / Steven M. Asmussen
1 M / 1:39.63
2019
Gray Attempt
Shaun Bridgmohan / William H. Fires
1 M / 1:36.94
2018
Mourinho
Drayden Van Dyke / Bob Baffert
1 M / 1:37.25
2017
Uncontested
Channing Hill / Wayne M. Catalano
1 M / 1:36.32
2016
Discreetness
Jon Court / William H. Fires
1 M / 1:38.05

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