Smarty Jones Stakes 2014 at Parx

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - Parx Casino and Racing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will play host to the Grade 3 Parx Racing on Labor Day Monday, September 1. A purse of $300,000 will be up for grabs for three year old hopefuls willing to race one mile, 70 yards on Parx's main track.

A competitive group of 10 three year olds will line up in the Smarty Jones - race 10 on Parx's Holiday Monday card. Post time is 4:44 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 10 entries for this Grade 3 stakes - a major prep for the $1 million Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby in three weeks time.

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2014 Smarty Jones Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Albano - Larry Jones trained colt looked to be on the Derby trail but didn't start a race in the Triple Crown - he hadn't been seen since March before a terrific win by a terrific 6 1/2 lengths in the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes on this track June 15 and a good second last time out behind Bayern in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park July 27. Before those impressive results was an OK fourth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby back on March 29 at Fair Grounds and a pair of good seconds in graded stakes action on that same track - the Grade 2 Risen Star February 22 and the Grade 3 LeComte January 18. He has three wins, three seconds and a third place finish in eight career starts - competitive virtually every time out. Kerwin Clark has been tabbed to keep the roll going from post 3 as the 2-1 favorite and 124 pound co-highweight.

Protonico - lightly raced Todd Pletcher trained colt has four career starts with two wins and a third place finish. He is coming off an OK third behind Travers winner V.E. Day in the minor Curlin Stakes at Parx July 25 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score in June and a sixth in his only graded stakes action to date - the Grade 2 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct way back in November. He is certainly trending upward and will have Joe Bravo in the saddle from post 8 as the 7-2 morning line second choice.

Smarty Jones Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Almost Famous - has placed in his last three starts for trainer Patrick Byrne - consecutive thirds in the minor Ohio Derby July 17 and the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs in June followed an Allowance score in May. Before that was two ugly eleventh place finishes - the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. Almost Famous has nine career starts with three wins and two third place finishes and enters in so-so form. Junior Alvarado rides from gate 6 at 9-2 on the morning line.

Joint Custody - John Robb pupil makes his graded stakes debut Monday after 12 career starts yielded five wins, four seconds and a third place finish. He enters off a disappointing sixth in the minor Curlin Stakes at Parx July 25 after a nice win in the minor Stanton Stakes at Delaware Park June 26, a second in the minor Grover Buddy Delp Memorial in May, a third in the minor Federico Tesio Stakes in April and a pair of seconds to start his year in minor stakes action at Laurel Park. He had been competitive in every career start before his last race and hopes for a bounce back Monday. Trevor McCarthy gets the mount from post 4 at 8-1 odds.

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Just Call Kenny - Patrick McBurney trained colt will raced in graded stakes company for the first time July 27 and finished sixth in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational - his only off the board finish. Before that he looked good in his four career starts - two wins and two second place finishes. Before the Haskell was an OK second in the minor Long Brach Stakes July 5 after a win in his stakes debut - the minor Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream way back in January. Just Call Kenny will look to break through in graded stakes company for the first time from gate 7 with Paco Lopez in the saddle.

Lynx - Cathal Lynch trained gelding has placed in his last three starts overall - a second in the minor Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie July 29, a good third in the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park June 15 and a maiden score on this track in May. He has nine career starts with one win, one second and two third place finishes and enters in the best form of his career. Frankie Pennington will be in the irons from the outside post at 10-1 on the morning line.

Ain't Got Time - Michael Matz trainee makes his stakes debut Monday having won two of four career starts - one of those wins coming last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Delaware Park July 24. Before that was an ugly seventh in a similar race at Monmouth Park and a maiden score in June. He lines up from the rail Monday at 12-1 on the morning line with Julian Pimentel in the saddle.

Classic Giacnroll - local entry is the most experienced of the combatants. His 11 career starts produced two wins, three seconds and two third place finishes. Last time out was an OK fourth behind Tapiture, Candy Boy and Vicar's in Trouble in the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby August 2 after one of those seconds - an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track July 8, an OK fourth in the minor Grover Buddy Delp Memorial and an ugly seventh in the minor Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park in March. Before that was a fourth in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes February 1, a good third in the Grade 2 Jerome Stakes January 4, a second in his stakes debut - the minor Marylander Stakes at Laurel Park December 7. Classic Giacnroll is 12-1 on the morning line and will have Ken Carmouche in the saddle from post 2.

Grasshoppin - has five career starts with two wins and three second place finishes - all on this track. His wins came last time out - in an Allowance July 19 and a maiden score at first asking in April. He makes his stakes debut Monday with Roberto Alvarado guiding him from post 5 as the co-longest shot in the field - 20-1.

Saa Mi has seven career starts with just one win and a second place finish. He enters off a sixth in his stakes debut - the minor Ohio Derby at Thistletown July 19 after a second in an Allowance and a maiden score at Churchill Downs in May. He lines up in gate 9 at 20-1 odds.


2014 Smarty Jones Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 10 on Parx Racing's Monday card with a Post Time of 4:44 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Ain't Got Time J. Pimentel M. Matz
12-1
2 Classic Giacnroll K. Carmouche L. Guerrero
12-1
3 Albano K. Clark J. Jones
2-1
4 Joint Custody T. McCarthy J. Robb
8-1
5 Grasshoppin R. Alvarado, Jr. M. Serey, Jr.
20-1
6 Almost Famous J. Alvarado P. Byrne
9-2
7 Just Call Kenny P. Lopez P. McBurney
8-1
8 Protonico J. Bravo T. Pletcher
7-2
9 Saa Mi M. Mena B. Walsh
20-1
10 Lynx F. Pennington C. Lynch
10-1