The 11th Running of the G3 Jones Stakes

August 21, 2021 20:00

PRX Race #3 $300.000 1 ¹/₁₆ Mile 

3YOs 122 Lbs

Track Record-1:40.41 (Frootie Moon-2012)

Stakes Record-1:41.14 (Heretowinthisfight-2020)

Not sure if I made the mistake of posting an incomplete article or what happened, but here is your preview for the 2021 $300.000 G3 Jones Stakes at PRX.

Five 3yos are entered at PRX for the G3 $300.000 Jones Stakes on Tuesday.  The 1¹/₁₆ dirt contest serves as the local prep for the $1,000.000 G1 PA Derby that will be held on September 25.  Mb Stables is the only trainer to have taken this event twice while J.J. Hernandez has the same number of wins and leads the jockeys.  Here’s a look at the five 3yos who will contest the $300.000 Joes Stakes at PRX:

#1 Oleg (Arindel/E. Jaramillo): Breaking from the rail, Oleg comes to PRX looking for some type of consistency.  Took a big NY-bred stakes in his juvenile finale only to struggle for the first half of his sophomore campaign.  Got back on track in G3 Dwyer, but followed that win up with a dud in G3 WV Derby earlier this month.  His best makes him a player and it is a positive sign that conditioner sends him here; however, tough to endorse with much confidence despite his talent.

#2 Noble Decision (Nakamura Stables/V.R. Carrasco): Noble Decision draws the two post and will look to continue showing improvement.  Fresh off of a near miss in the $120.000 Curlin at SAR, he only needs to find a bit more to be a major player in here.  All four stakes tries have been respectable and appears he can adapt to any pace scenario, just needs to show more heart to reach the wire first.

#3 Fairly Lucky (Mb Stables/J.R. Velazquez): Minus the G3 Lexington try in the mud, Fairly Lucky has been a model of consistency.  Has the early speed to take advantage of this three-hole draw and should be prominent throughout.  That 4th place effort in G1 Haskell came from post 13 and he was only beaten a length after being involved from the jump.  Any kind of improvement makes him extremely dangerous in this affair.

#4 Contradiction (Aer Stables/S.X. Bridgmohan): We’ve all seen it/heard it in every bad horror movie ever made: “Run for your life!”  Well, in the Aer Stables barn, those words apply everytime his horses take the track.  Contradiction has just two wins, but he has faced the best of his generation and done well enough to be the leading money winner in the field and comes here after a near miss facing elders in the G3 MTH Cup.  Another with early foot, expect to see him close to the front beginning, middle, and end.  The pick….hopefully not a legit KOD.

#5 Ricki Tikki Tavi (La Canada Racehorses/A. Beschizza): Ricki Tikki Tavi will break from post five and is as honest as they come.  Took the G3 Marine before facing elders in third-place effort in G3 MTH Cup.  It will be interesting to see what kind of trip he gets, but he could easily get in the exacta.  Needs to find a bit more to get past Contradiction, but he should be there every step of the way.

Final Analysis: I apologize in advance for the added pressure, but think they’ll hit the wire 4-3-5.  God speed Contradiction and all of the competitors in the $300.000 G3 Jones Stakes!

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES