Smarty Jones includes Rancho Santa Fe, Universe

The powerful Brad Cox barn has started the winter season at Oaklawn Park only 1-for-10. Given recent history, his chances in the $250,000 Smarty Jones S. on Saturday should be considerably better.

Cox relies solely on two-time winner Rancho Santa Fe in the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones, a Road to the Kentucky Derby prep that awards qualifying points of 10-5-3-2-1 to the respective top five finishers. It's a race Cox has won three of the past five years, and perhaps Rancho Santa Fe will prove good enough.

A Gary and Mary West homebred son of Tapit, Rancho Santa Fe pulled off a minor surprise on debut in late August, winning a one-mile maiden at Ellis Park as a 7-1 chance. He reappeared at Keeneland in a 1 1/16-mile allowance and won that, too, albeit by a reduced margin of a half-length.

However, the form of that allowance has been flattered. The next two across the wire, Infiltrate and Grand Mahogany, won allowances at Churchill and Horseshoe Indianapolis, respectively, in their next starts. On that basis, Rancho Santa Fe looks a leading Smarty Jones contender.

The Kenny McPeek barn has started the Oaklawn meet faster, and has the likely Smarty Jones favorite in Universe, who's acquitted himself in three straight graded attempts. A distant third in the Champagne (G1), he subsequently fared better when grabbing silver in both the Street Sense (G3) and Kentucky Jockey Club (G2). McPeek also saddles Sleepingonfreedom, a starter allowance winner at Churchill last time.

Strategic Risk was a nine-length winner of the In Reality division of the Florida Sires S. at Gulfstream, his two-turn debut over dirt. The Mark Casse trainee is joined by stablemate Silent Tactic, a Woodbine mainstay who was a rallying second in the Grey (G3) over the Toronto course's Tapeta surface two months ago.

The stakes-placed Boca Beach Club is bred for distance, though hasn't raced beyond 5 1/2 furlongs in two prior starts. Oscar's Hope, a stakes winner at Delta Downs last time, has run first or second in all five starts for Tom Amoss.