Rancho Santa Fe, Universe set for Smarty Jones; Balboa tops Jerome

Dec 30, 2025 James Scully

Universe wins at Saratoga. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

Kentucky Derby hopefuls will be on display at Oaklawn Park and Aqueduct on the first Saturday of the New Year, with the $250,000 Smarty Jones S. and $150,000 Jerome S. being offered. As part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge series, both races will award points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers.

The Smarty Jones at Oaklawn produced 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, and the 1 1/16-mile race marks the stakes debut for Rancho Santa Fe, who has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite after opening his career with maiden and entry-level allowance wins. Florent Geroux rides the promising chestnut son of Tapit for three-time Smarty Jones winner Brad Cox.

Runner-up in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and Street Sense (G3), Universe has been tabbed the 3-1 second choice and heads a pair of runners for Kenny McPeek. Universe changed tactics in the Kentucky Jockey Club after racing close to the pace in the Street Sense, rallying dramatically to miss by less than two lengths to odds-on Further Ado, and Joel Rosario picks up the mount on the Global Campaign colt.

Universe pulls away to win on debut at 17/1 in R8 at Saratoga! @kennymcpeek trains and Christopher Elliot was in the irons. 💰 pic.twitter.com/SV4SJlJvoZ

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 30, 2025

McPeek will also send out Sleepingonfreedom, who will make his first stakes appearance following a sharp win over starter allowance rivals at Churchill Downs in his initial two-turn appearance. Listed as the 5-1 third choice, the stalker will retain the services of Brian Hernandez Jr.

Strategic Risk will switch back to open company following a romping win in the In Reality division of the Florida Stallion series, and Javier Castellano has the call for Mark Casse. Delta Downs stakes winner Oscar’s Hope will face a class check while stretching out in distance, and Boca Beach Club will try two turns following a closing second in the 5 1/2-furlong Advent S. at Oaklawn.

At Aqueduct, Remsen (G2) third-placer Balboa heads a field of five entered for the Jerome. The Not This Time colt was overlooked at 29-1 in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen following a convincing win in the six-furlong James F. Lewis S. at Laurel Park, holding well to finish third behind Paladin after contesting the pace, and Balboa figures to appreciate the cut back to a mile on Saturday. Manny Franco rides for Brittany Russell.

My World rates as the main rival following a 3 1/2-length score in the one-mile Nashua S. on Nov. 1. A gray son of Essential Quallity, the Cox-trained colt keeps Jaime Rodriguez in the saddle. Mailata, winner of the restricted Pennsylvania Nursery S. at Parx last out, is also part of the mix, and Enforced Agenda will jump to stakes competition following a nice debut maiden special weight victory at Aqueduct in late November.