Oaklawn Park Barn Notes: Discreetness Works for Smarty Jones

Discreetness Works for Smarty Jones
Discreetness tuned up for his scheduled 3-year-old debut in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 18 with a sharp 5-furlong workout in company Thursday at Oaklawn for trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs. Breezing over a sealed surface rated good following overnight rain, Discreetness covered the distance in :59.80 under Fires’ son-in-law, Jon Court, and galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:12.40. The work that took place about 15 minutes after the track opened at 7 a.m. (Central).

Discreetness, who won the $250,000 Springboard Mile Dec. 13 at Remington Park in his last start, breezed with 3-year-old stablemate Will Munnings, pointing for an entry-level allowance race, Fires said.

“It was a good work,” Fires said.

Discreetness and Will Munnings started together at the 5-furlong pole and remained virtually even until the wire. But, Discreetness, who was on the rail, powered away from Will Munnings on the gallop out around the clubhouse turn. Will Munnings, exiting a sixth-place finish in the $60,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds, galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:13.40.

In his last work, Discreetness toyed with another stablemate, Win With Tiz, in a 5-furlong breeze in 1:01.40 Dec. 29.

“He’s not much of a workhorse by himself,” Fires said of Discreetness. “He’s pretty laid back about things. Unless you put another horse with him, he’ll just kind of go around there real slow.”

The Springboard Mile marked the third victory in five lifetime starts for Discreetness, a son of Discreet Cat who was purchased for $105,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale Co.’s March sale of 2-year-old in training. The colt is owned by Xpress Thoroughbreds (Dwight Pruett of Texarkana, Ark., and Paula Barnes of Hot Springs).

The 1-mile Smarty Jones is the first of three major local preps for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 16.

Fires saddled Archarcharch to win the 2011 Arkansas Derby following a fourth-place finish in the Smarty Jones.

Another Tour Stop
Multiple stakes winner Hebbronville is back where it started in 2015, this time preparing for his 4-year-old debut in the $100,000 King Cotton Stakes Jan. 30.

Hebbronville traveled the country last year, making 10 starts at seven tracks in six states.

“He did do that,” trainer Lynn Whiting said. “He’s doing well. Catching a little bit of a break, but he’ll be in attendance here.”

Hebbronville rewarded Whiting with four victories last year, including the $100,000 Jersey Shore Stakes (G3) in July at Monmouth Park, and earnings of $260,850.

“He had a good year,” Whiting said.

Whiting said he plans a straightforward Oaklawn campaign for Hebbronville, pointing for the series of sprint stakes for older horses. Following the King Cotton, Oaklawn will card the $100,000 Hot Springs March 5 and $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 10.

“He doesn’t have any options,” Whiting said. “I don’t anticipate any other races for him. He’s going to have to run with the big boys.”

Hebbronville’s other stakes victory last year came in the $100,000 Perryville in October at Keeneland.

Hebbronville made his first three starts last year at Oaklawn, finishing third in the $100,000 Gazebo Stakes and $100,000 Bachelor Stakes.

Finish Lines
There were 1,409 horses on the grounds Thursday morning. … Riding newcomer Didiel Osorio and his agent, Joe Santos, both 21, arrived Monday morning at Oaklawn in preparation for the 2016 meeting that begins Jan. 15. Osorio won the 2015 riding title at Ellis Park. … Super Saks, prepping for her 4-year-old debut in the $100,000 American Beauty Stakes Jan. 23 at Oaklawn, worked a half-mile in :47 just after the track opened Thursday morning for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Super Saks broke her maiden at the 2015 Oaklawn meeting and won the $80,000 Dream Supreme Stakes Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs in her last start. … Trainer Randy Morse said Street Strategy (foot bruise) is questionable for the $100,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horses Jan. 16 at Oaklawn. … Trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel said Suddenbreakingnews is under consideration for the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn and $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) Feb. 20 at Fair Grounds. Suddenbreakingnews closed his 2-year-old campaign with a second-place finish, beaten a nose, in the $250,000 Springboard Mile Dec. 13 at Remington Park. Von Hemel has another 3-year-old, Synchrony, ticketed for the Smarty Jones.

Source: Oaklawn Park