Photo:

Justin Manning / Eclipse Sportswire

Multiple Kentucky Derby 2025 preps are set for Saturday, but none more lucrative than the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn.

A field of eight will line up for this 1 1/16th-mile test, headlined by Brad Cox’s Hot Property, a solid debut winner. 

Post time for the Smarty Jones, race 9 on a 10-race program, is 5:22 p.m. EST. FS2 will show it live.

Head over to Horse Racing Nation’s free past performances page for downloadable PPs for the Smarty Jones Stakes and more, courtesy of our partners at Brisnet.

We also have Super Screener picks and analysis for the Smarty Jones as well as recent top speed figures for each contender.

Best speed figures

Looking at the pace

The Smarty Jones is projected to feature Kale’s Angel dueling for the front with Mo Quality and Hot Property, though the pace is not expected to be fast. 

Pace projector appears courtesy of TimeformUS.

HRN picks

The initial Super Screener of 2025 is calling for an upset in the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Here’s what Mike Shutty had to say about 10-1 shot Disco Star:

“The Mark Casse trainee has not missed the exacta in three starts, and her best race was last out when she broke last of 12 and made up ground in a hurry to best 11 rivals with a very balanced running line, which should benefit a this distance, and (Casse) is very productive with his pupils first-time going a a route.”

Check out our $97 deal and get Super Screener each week plus Power Picks and Horses to Single reports every day up until Kentucky Derby 2025.

Ed DeRosa has Smarty Jones fair odds, and he believes Kale’s Angel is the horse to single, while Mo Quality and Coal Battle are second-tier contenders.

DeRosa also has Jerome fair odds, and he thinks Omaha Omaha could offer value and take advantage of a potential pace meltdown as Aqueduct’s road to Louisville begins.

For more on the Jerome, read Matt Shifman’s Jerome analysis.

DeRosa’s Derby prep fair odds concludes with his San Vicente fair odds, where he’s hopeful that Romanesque and Smooth Cruisein will float up just enough to make them worthwhile wagers.

Ashley Tamulonis and Laurie Ross went head to head handicapping the Smarty Jones, and while they do not agree on the most likely winner, they are both calling for an upset.

You can also read their head to head analysis of the San Vicente.

J. Keeler Johnson’s latest Horses to Watch column tells you who to look out for in all three Derby prep races this Saturday.

Trainer Michael McCarthy joined the Ron Flatter Racing Pod to discuss the chances of Bullard in the San Vicente.