| Class: | Listed |
| Horse Race: | Smarty Jones Stakes |
| Location: | Oaklawn Park Race Track Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States |
| Inaugurated: | 2008 |
| Race Type: | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Website: | www.oaklawn.com |
| Distance: | 1 1/16 mile (8.5 furlongs) |
| Surface: | Dirt |
| Track: | Left-handed |
| Qualification: | Three-year-olds |
| Weight: | 124 lbs with allowances |
| Purse: | $250,000 (2022) |
The Smarty Jones Stakes is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds contested on dirt at a distance of one mile (8 furlongs) run annually in mid-January at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Smarty Jones is worth $150,000.
Named for the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, Smarty Jones, the inaugural race was held on January 21, 2008.[1]
It is the first in a series of races – including the Southwest Stakes, Rebel Stakes, and Arkansas Derby – held at Oaklawn that are commonly used as preps for the Kentucky Derby.
Note that a second Smarty Jones Stakes, a Grade 3 race for 3-year-olds run at a distance of 1 and 1/16 miles, was created in 2010 and is held at Parx in late August or during Labor Day weekend.
Since 2013 the event is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby with qualification points given to the first four placegetters.
Speed record:
Speed record:
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
Most wins by an owner:
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Catching Freedom | Cristian A. Torres | Brad H. Cox | Albaugh Family Stables | 1:44.59 | |
| 2023 | Victory Formation | Flavien Prat | Brad H. Cox | Spendthrift Farm & Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc. | 1:38.14 | |
| 2022 | Dash Attack | Kenneth G. McPeek | Catalyst Stable, Madalena Racing, Kevin Pollard and Patty Slevin | 1:39.44 | ||
| 2021 | Caddo River | Florent Geroux | Brad H. Cox | 1:38.19 | ||
| 2020 | Gold Street | Martin Garcia | Steven M. Asmussen | Mike McCarty | 1:39.63 | |
| 2019 | Gray Attempt | Shaun Bridgmohan | William H. Fires | Dwight Pruett | 1:36.94 | |
| 2018 | Mourinho | Drayden Van Dyke | Bob Baffert | Phoenix Thoroughbred III | 1:37.25 | |
| 2017 | Uncontested | Channing Hill | Wayne M. Catalano | Robert V. LaPenta & Harry T. Rosenblum | 1:36.32 | |
| 2016 | Discreetness | Jon Court | William H. Fires | Xpress Thoroughbreds | 1:38.05 | |
| 2015 | Far Right | Mike E. Smith | Ron Moquett | Robert V. LaPenta & Harry T. Rosenblum | 1:38.43 | |
| 2014 | Tanzanite Cat | Norberto Arroyo Jr. | Cody Autrey | James & Ywachetta Driver | 1:38.69 | |
| 2013 | Will Take Charge | Jon Court | D. Wayne Lukas | Willis Horton | 1:38.64 | |
| 2012 | Junebugred | Joe Bravo | Steve Hobby | Alex & JoAnn Lieblong | 1:38.45 | |
| 2011 | Caleb's Posse | Eusebio Razo Jr. | Donnie K. Von Hemel | McNeill Stables & Cheyenne Stables | 1:43.07 | |
| 2010 | Dryfly | Calvin Borel | Lynn S. Whiting | Charles J. Cella | 1:41.69 | |
| 2009 | Flat Out | Julio A. Garcia | Charles L. Dickey | Oxbow Racing LLC (Art & Stephanie Preston) | 1:39.15 | |
| 2008 | Liberty Bull | Eusebio Razo Jr. | Thomas M. Amoss | Kenneth Maier | 1:38.15 |