Graydar’s 3-year-old colt Gray Attempt won his 2019 debut in Friday’s $150,000 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park in his first step on the Triple Crown. [WATCH RACE].
With the win, Gray Attempt also earned 10 points toward Kentucky Derby eligibility and is now ranked 11th on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard. The Kentucky Derby is limited to the top 20 points earners.
It was the third straight victory for the striking gray, who wrapped up 2018 with a score in the Dec. 22 Sugar Bowl S. at Fair Grounds. His record now stands at three wins in four starts, with earnings of $184,700 for owner Dwight Pruett.
Gray Attempt flew out of the starting gate from his outside post in the field of eight and secured the lead almost immediately. Under stout restraint by Shaun Bridgmohan in the first half-mile, Gray Attempt was up a length in :46.86. He got pressure the rest of the way from Boldor and Long Range Toddy, who was the biggest threat in deep stretch, but Gray Attempt held them off to win by a neck in 1:36.94 for the mile on a fast track.
“He left there like we thought he would,” trainer Jinks Fires said. “I knew with Steve (Asmussen) having three in there, he’d send at least one of them. Our horse just had enough speed to overcome it. We’re staying right here and if everything goes well, we’ll go in the Southwest (G3, $500,000 on Feb. 19).”
Bred in Kentucky by Winnstay LLC, Donna Moore and Jim Richardson, Gray Attempt is from the same family as Grade 2 winners Street Sounds and Tower of Texas.
Graydar, a top-10 Second-Crop Sire of 2018 by winners and earnings, is standing this year at Taylor Made for $7,500 live foal.
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