Coal Battle shows new dimension to romp in Smarty Jones

Jan 04, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

It wasn’t a surprise that Remington Springboard Mile hero Coal Battle added a second victory on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in Saturday’s $250,000 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park. The real surprise was his early speed: hitherto a closer, the Lonnie Briley trainee proved that he has more tactical cards to play in a front-running romp.

Even regular rider Juan Vargas didn’t expect to find such a new dimension from Coal Battle, whose 10-point haul doubled his tally to 20 points. The Norman Stables runner now sits second on the leaderboard, trailing only Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) star Citizen Bull (40 points).

“This time, he kind of surprised me because I never expected he was going to the lead that easy,” Vargas told Oaklawn publicity.

“You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do in the moment. Sometimes, plans change. And this time, that’s what happened. I can say this is the best race he’s run. He’s getting better and better.

“He surprised me the way he won. I never expected him to take the lead that easy, and then my plan changed because we were trying to run like last time (when rallying from off the pace in the Springboard Mile).”

Breaking alertly from post 6, Coal Battle found himself narrowly in front of Mo Quality and 13-10 favorite Kale’s Angel on the clubhouse turn. While Mo Quality eventually eased back into a stalking spot, Kale’s Angel moved up to engage Coal Battle and matched strides rounding the far turn. But he couldn’t stick with him down the lane.

Coal Battle got away with a slow tempo of :24.11, :49.03, and 1:15.64, and he spurted clear in the stretch. By Coal Front, who captured the 2019 Razorback H. (G3) over this same track and 1 1/16-mile trip, Coal Battle romped by four lengths in a final time of 1:46.43.

"It's the pride of Remington Park, it's Coal Battle in the Smarty Jones!" 🎙️

Coal Battle extends his win streak to three and picks up 10 Kentucky Derby points in the Smarty Jones! 🌹

Juan Vargas guided the 3YO son of Coal Front for trainer Lonnie Briley.

🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/1BUAKYMln5

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) January 4, 2025

Runner-up Mo Quality (five points) outstayed third-placer Kale’s Angel (three points) by a neck.

Mo Quality’s trainer, Christopher Davis, believes that inexperience was a key factor for the recent Churchill Downs sprint maiden winner.

“I still think he’s just got a little bit of learning to do,” Davis said. “The pace wasn’t kind of what we thought it would be. He didn’t break super-sharp.

“In fact after the race, (jockey) Junior (Alvarado) just said: ‘If he jumps, we probably wire them.’ He goes: ‘He didn’t get tired, just a little green still.’ New place, but overall not a bad effort.

“You can’t take anything away from the winner. He won the Springboard Mile. He’s won some two-turn races already. So, (Mo Quality) going 6 1/2 (furlongs) to a mile and a sixteenth, Junior doesn’t think distance is an issue, nor do I. I think he just needs a little bit more seasoning and growing up to do and, hopefully, we still have some fun.”

In contrast, Kale’s Angel’s stamina limitations were arguably exposed here, and the son of Complexity might well revert to sprinting. The maiden Bon Temps was fourth at every call, good for two points.

The well-fancied contender who figured to be involved in the early pace, the 2.30-1 second choice Hot Property, lagged behind and never factored. Hot Property picked up one point for managing to take fifth from Hot Gunner. Curvino and Optical were scratched.

Coal Battle remains a perfect 4-for-4 on dirt, with a three-stakes winning spree that began in the Jean Lafitte S. at Delta Downs. His only losses came on turf, including a fourth in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile, and his career scorecard stands at 6-4-0-0, $453,875.

Now that Coal Battle has emerged as a main player in Oaklawn’s series that continues with the Southwest (G3), Rebel (G2), and Arkansas Derby (G1), Briley just might start to allow himself some Kentucky Derby dreaming.

“Today, he went to the front and was pricking his ears,” his trainer said. “When he stayed up there, I’m thinking: ‘I’m going to steal it, jockey.’ He ran big, big.

“Every time we run him, he just seems to surprise us. He’s a neat little horse.

“I don’t know if it’s set in yet (having a Kentucky Derby candidate). No, it’s crazy for the little guy.”