Gateway to Kentucky? Try the Arkansas Route

Forget about the Santa Anita Derby, the Florida Derby or the Wood Memorial.

Judging by the results of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes the last couple of years, the most important prep for the Triple Crown is the Arkansas Derby.

Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex have won the last two renewals of the race, which will be run today at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, and all they did was win four of the last six Triple Crown races. Smarty Jones won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2004 and Afleet Alex won the Preakness and Belmont last year.

Only time will tell whether the winner of the 2006 Arkansas Derby, which remarkably remains a Grade II stakes race, goes on to similar success, but the 1 1/8 -mile event attracted 13 others, although Well Said has been scratched.

The 3-year-old who will get the most attention is Lawyer Ron. A son of Langfuhr who could have been claimed for $50,000 last September, Lawyer Ron enters the Arkansas Derby on a five-race win streak for trainer Bob Holthus.

Owned by the estate of James T. Hines Jr., who died in February when he drowned at his home in Kentucky, Lawyer Ron has been very impressive in two earlier races at Oaklawn. He won the Southwest in wire-to-wire style on Feb. 25, then rallied from off the pace to take the Rebel three weeks later.

Clearly, the chestnut, who was bred by Hines, is versatile and Holthus is confident more distance won’t be a problem.

“He’s an amazing horse,” Holthus said. “I don’t think distance is going to be any trouble for him.

“He was kind of an immature colt when we first started racing him, but since about the beginning of December, he has just turned into a man. He’s really developed. He’s a beautiful animal now and he’s probably 75-100 pounds heavier than he was five months ago. With all the racing and training he has done, that is kind of remarkable.”

Besides Lawyer Ron, Holthus will also start Red Raymond, who was second in the Rebel, this afternoon. The rest of the field includes Private Vow, who should improve in his second race of the year after finishing seventh at 2-1 in the Rebel, Steppenwolfer, High Cotton, With a City, the 48-1 winner of the Lanes End at Turfway on March 25, Jealous Profit, Simon Pure, Nob Hill Deelite, Superfly, Film Fortune, Sayhellotolarry and New Joysey Jeff. Film Fortune, a maiden trained by Jack Van Berg, Nob Hill Deelite and New Joysey Jeff, who finished sixth in the San Felipe at Santa Anita on March 18, will race coupled as the mutuel field.

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The other significant race for 3-year-olds today is the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. A Grade I race at 1 1/8 miles, the Blue Grass drew nine entrants, headed by 8-5 morning line choice First Samurai.

Owned by Bruce Lunsford and Lansdon Robbins and trained by Frank Brothers, First Samurai has yet to prove he can handle two turns. He was awarded the victory in the Fountain Of Youth at Gulfstream Park on March 4 when Corinthian was disqualified, but his effort wasn’t impressive. He made an easy lead through moderate fractions, but offered little resistance in the stretch when challenged.

Rafael Bejarano, who won six races a week ago today at Santa Anita, will ride First Samurai for the first time in the Blue Grass against a field that includes Little Cliff, Bluegrass Cat, Storm Treasure, Strong Contender, who is unbeaten in two starts for owner John Oxley and trainer John Ward -- the pair that combined to win the 2001 Kentucky Derby with Monarchos -- Court Folly, Sinister Minister, Sadler’s Trick and Seaside Retreat.

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Jockeys Martin Pedroza and Victor Espinoza will each begin three-day suspensions on Thursday for disqualifications they were involved in earlier this week.

Pedroza and Espinoza were both cited for careless riding, the former while aboard Capecloakanddagger in the third race on Wednesday and the latter while on Fear No Darkness in the seventh race on the same day.

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Borrego, whose biggest wins came last year in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar and the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, has been retired after having surgery to remove a bone chip in his right front ankle. He will begin his stud career in 2007 at Wintergreen Stallion Station in Kentucky.

Trained by Beau Greely, who was also one of the owners of the 5-year-old son of El Prado, Borrego finished his career with five wins in 20 starts and earnings of $2,052,090. He finished off the board in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 29 at Belmont in what was his final race.