John Pricci

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Not many would have believed Arkansas could become the premier road to the Kentucky Derby. Given that Florida, California and New York are not yet the property of a foreign country, that still might not be reality. But our friends in Hot Springs sure are stating their case.

It was a wise investment Charles Cella made when, to commemorate the track’s centennial two years ago, he offered a $1 million bonus to the horse that wins both the Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby. Credit Cella and a colt named Smarty Jones for elevating the status of a viable Derby road that now also courses through Hot Springs.

Normally, as with the first leg of any series, it’s a coming out party for some horses and a culling process for others, but this year’s renewal is a little different. Due to the cancellation of the Fair Grounds meet in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and with Florida’s inability to stage a prep race of 1-1/16 miles, Oaklawn attracted horsemen that otherwise would have wintered elsewhere.

Hall of Fame nominee Neil Howard, a Fair Grounds regular, opted for Arkansas over Florida; Dan Peitz, who on occasion has wintered in Louisiana, is another on the grounds. Interesting that both will saddle Kentucky Derby aspirants in Saturday’s one mile Southwest Stakes hoping to defeat overwhelming favorite Lawyer Ron, trained by Oaklawn regular Bob Holthus.

Howard’s undefeated Music School will likely be the Southwest’s second favorite and it’s just as likely that Peitz’s Steppenwolfer will be the public’s third choice. That’s if the poll on the Daily Racing Form web-site is a measure. While admittedly a small sample, it is unlikely that the pecking order would change significantly.

As of 3 p.m. Friday, 46 percent of the respondents believe that Lawyer Ron will win his third consecutive stakes. With 21 percent of the vote, Howard’s Music School is a likely 4-1 second choice with Steppenwolfer at about 8-1 after attracting 11 percent of the vote. That makes the favorite 6-5 at this point, a price that could go even lower by post time Saturday.

All three colts are interesting for various asundry reasons. For one, Lawyer Ron is a throwback by modern standards having run 11 times before March of his 3-year-old year. His first two races were on grass before moving to the artificial Polytrack surface at Turfway Park last fall.

After breaking his maiden in his fifth start on a sloppy Keeneland surface at 7 furlongs, he tried the turf twice more without success before winning a second dirt race after a scheduled turf event was switched to the main track. On conventional dirt, he is now 4-for-4 and has won at Louisiana Downs and Evangeline in addition to Keeneland. He’s 3-for-3 around two turns and has earned a Grade 3 title, the Risen Star at 1-1/16 miles. And he does so in fast time. Lawyer Ron looms a deserving favorite.

Undefeated horses never fail to fire the imagination even if they’ve only run twice. Music School broke his maiden over the Derby track at Churchill going 5-½ furlongs on June 11 and did not return until making his 3-year-old at today’s distance on this surface February 5. Racing with Lasix for the first time, he made a mid-race move to open a three-length advantage in mid-stretch, winning by 3/4s of a length to defeat 10 rivals. Nothing to dislike about a regally bred son of A. P. Indy from a Dixieland Band mare, prolific producer Delta Music. Robby Albarado is the colt’s steady partner.

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Steppenwolfer is intriguing. With a lifetime record of three wins from five starts, he has shown enough class to break his maiden as a fall 2-year-old at Aqueduct before winning a preliminary allowances at Louisiana Downs and a secondary allowances at this track going a mile February 3. From the hot young sire Aptitude, himself a son of A. P. Indy, he made an explosive move from last in a six horse field, sweeping by most of his rivals before drawing out to a 4-½ length victory beneath Albarado, who chose Music School for today’s race. His recent win was visually impressive.

At this juncture, the chances of an upset in the Southwest--a quirky mile that, because of Oaklawn’s configuration, begins and ends near the sixteenth-mile pole--appears remote. Lawyer Ron, who runs for the Estate of James T Hinds Jr., found in his swimming pole earlier this week in what was termed an accidental drowning by authorities, has excellent speed and knows how to distribute it efficiently. Jockey John McKee, who rides regularly for Holthus, should have little difficulty rationing it.

The Southwest is the first important leg of Oaklawn’s Kentucky Derby prep series that continues with the 1-1/16 miles Rebel on March 18 and the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby at nine furlongs April 15. It was a winning route to the Derby taken not only by Smarty Jones but by Sunny’s Halo, Lil E. Tee and Grindstone as well. No matter who wins Saturday, the race looks like another victory for Oaklawn Park.