Strategic Risk, winner of the Nov. 29 Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Florida Sire In Reality Stakes, is 9-2 on the morning line Gulfstream Park and the Jan. 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn – figures to see his price drop on race day due to the scratch of the 2025 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) winner Litmus test which had been the 5-2 morning line choice. His trainer, Bob Baffert, will now only steer Butane from his base in Southern California to start. A field of maximum 13 horses could now start.
Buetane, as well as other shippers from warmer climates such as Florida and Louisiana, have benefited from training uninterrupted by bitter cold. The Mark Casse-trained Strategic Risk, meanwhile, missed some daily track practices after a winter storm halted training for nine days, as did other horses based at Oaklawn, including his stablemate, second-place Smarty Jones. Silent tactics .
While some horses, such as Buetane and extended debut sprint winner D’code, have not been tested on a route, Strategic Risk and Silent Tactics have been proven at a distance. Strategic Risk’s two victories during his six-race career were both at 1 1/16 miles, and Silent Tactic recorded his first win during the journey across the Tapeta surface at Woodbine. The latter, a son of Touchedthen ran second there in the November 2 Gray Stakes (G3) before finishing second, beaten by 4 1/2 lengths by Strategic Risk, in the Smarty Jones. John Oxley owns both stallions and also bred Strategic Risk, a son of Noble Bird .
An abundance of pace in the south-west should further strengthen their strengths, with Strategic Risk having enough speed to secure a good early position under Javier Castellano. Cristian Torres rides Silent Tactic, who came from eighth place in the Smarty Jones under Jaime Torres.
“The difference between him and Silent Tactic is that I think Javier can position (Strategic Risk), where he sits back if they go fast. And if they don’t go fast, he will be very close to the pace,” Casse said.
Video: Smarty Jones S. (BT)
Both horses have existing qualifying points for the first leg of the Triple Crown on May 2 Churchill Downswith Strategic Risk having 10 points and Silent Tactic 5. Friday’s race offers additional qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 basis for the top five finishers.
Among their main rivals, Brookdale Racing, Fern Circle Stables and Magdalena Racing’s Freedom National also has 5 points, earned with a second-place finish in the December 20 Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Track and Slot Machines. He is one of two competitors for trainer Kenny McPeek, the other being a longshot Sleep on freedom .
Five races earlier on the card, in Friday’s sixth race, 3-year-old fillies run 1 1/16 miles in the $300,000 Martha Washington Stakes, Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Oaks (G1) points race of the year. Casse, a Hall of Famer, is formidable with his runners and starts as the West Point Thoroughbreds double stakes winner Counting stars and Tracy Farmers Find a party a maiden winner by six lengths at Oaklawn in her fifth career start.
Gary and Mary West Press Parade a winner of three straight for trainer Brad Cox, including the December 20 Untapable Stakes at Fair Grounds, leads the opposition.
Submissions: Southwest S. (G3)
Oaklawn Park, Friday February 6, 2026, race 11
- Grade III
- 1 1/16m
- Filthy
- $1,000,000
- 3 years
- 4:40 PM (local)
Submissions: Martha Washington S.
Oaklawn Park, Friday February 6, 2026, Race 6
- STK
- 1 1/16m
- Filthy
- $300,000
- 3 year old mares
- 1:59 PM (local)
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