On Fire Baby to go against 11 other males in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park
The Gary Hartlage trained 3-year-old filly, On Fire Baby, smoked the Grade 2 Pocahontas Stakes at about a mile at Churchill Downs on 30 October, 2011, and then landed the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes at about 1 1/16 miles, also at Churchill Downs, on 26 November, 2011. She did not only earned herself back-to-back grade 2 wins, but also a multiple graded stakes winner, after her defeat in the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland, where she finished fifth.
Anita Cauley owned Kentucky bred filly, On Fire Baby has a different challenge to face to kick start her 2012 campaign as a 3-year-old, when she takes on males in the $100,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at about 1 mile on dirt at Oaklawn Park on 16 January, 2012, against 11 other 3-year-old males.
The race has reeled in some competitive colts, and the most prominent one is the son of English Channel, Optimizer, who is exiting a 4th placed finish in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club last year.
Laurie’s Rocket is coming off a second place finish in the Sugar Bowl Stakes and Jake Mo is exiting a 6th place finish in the Grade 3 Delta Downs, also last year.
Still On Fire Baby, will be the most accomplished horse in the lineup, winning the Grade 2 Pocahontas and the Grade 2 Golden Rod in her last start.
“She’s sitting on super-ready,” said Gary Hartlage, who trains On Fire Baby.
“She’s shown me things that other horses haven’t shown. I know it’s against the boys and that’s going to be a little bit challenging, probably, but I think she belongs.”
The 3-year-old large gray filly is the daughter of Smoke Glacken, out of mare Ornate by Gilded Time, and she will ride under her usual jockey, Joe Johnson, breaking from post number 10.
The filly has shown she can go upfront or come off pace, and over a mile, it seems she will track leaders.
“That’s the good thing about her,” Hartlage said.
“If there’s no speed, she’ll take it. Or she can lay third or fourth or she can lay last. So far, every race she’s gotten better to control. She used to work real fast, at first, and now she sits still and she comes charging at the end.”
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