HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Oaklawn Park opens its meet Friday with a number of quality 3-year-olds in place, including Three Technique who makes his stakes debut on the card’s $150,000 Smarty Jones. His trainer, New York-based Jeremiah Englehart, said the opportunities for young runners was one of the reasons he has set up a 24-horse division at Oaklawn. The 3-year-old offerings build all meet toward the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 11 and the Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy for fillies on April 10. “The backbone of this program is the stakes schedule, and we’re doing our best to make the maiden special weights and [allowances] go so people can develop their horses,” said Pat Pope, racing secretary at Oaklawn. Three Technique will be shooting for his third straight win Friday. He is making his two-turn debut, off a 4 1/2-length win in a first-level allowance Nov. 20 at Aqueduct. “I’ve always felt he was a horse that would appreciate distance,” Englehart said. “It seems like he has it in his family. “He’s just handled everything we’ve asked him to do. We asked him to go seven-eighths for the first time, and he handled it. This seems like the next step for him.” Three Technique is by Mr Speaker, a Grade 1 winner at 1 1/4 miles, and a half-brother to Stan the Man, who won over 1 1/8 miles last month in the Queens County at Aqueduct. Three Technique races for the August Dawn Farm operation of Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Parcells. So does Tuggle, the third-place finisher in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special who also made the trip to Oaklawn. Englehart’s local group of fillies includes Maryanorginger, winner of the $150,000 Astoria in her debut June 6 at Belmont Park. “I think she will stretch out,” Englehart said. “That race was five and a half. I do think she’s going to want to stretch out at one point.” Critical Value, a New York-bred stakes winner who was fourth in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in December at Aqueduct, is another filly targeting Oaklawn. “She looks promising,” Englehart said. He’s also looking forward to running Daphne Moon, who was fifth in last year’s Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont, and Risky Mischief, out of the $500,000 earner Risky Rachel. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has brought Ancient Warrior to Oaklawn off an impressive debut win at Del Mar. The horse dueled and prevailed in a maiden special weight over six furlongs, winning off by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:09.72. The son of Constitution earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 81. “That was a superb race,” Hollendorfer said. “We backed off him a little bit. We’ll bring him back running short the first part of February. “Well take it one step at a time.” Hollendorfer also has new acquisition Play the Wildcard, who runs in an allowance Sunday at Oaklawn. Some of the young talent in trainer Steve Asmussen’s care at Oaklawn will see action in the Smarty Jones, including Kentucky Jockey Club winner Silver Prospector and Springboard Mile winner Shoplifted. “We’re very proud to have the Kentucky Jockey Club winner and the Springboard Mile winner for the series at Oaklawn,” Asmussen said. “I think they’ve got pretty good credentials going in.” Silver Prospector picked up 10 points for the Kentucky Derby in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill, and Shoplifted earned the same in the Springboard at Remington. Asmussen’s group of 3-year-old fillies includes Frizette winner Wicked Whisper. “We expect Wicked Whisper to participate in the late 3-year-old races at the Oaklawn meet,” said Asmussen, who trains the filly for Arkansas residents Alex and JoAnn Lieblong. Trainer John Sadler, who has a division here for the first time, said he’s looking forward to running Edgeway. “I think she’s very promising,” he said. “She’ll make her first out at Oaklawn.” Edgeway is by Competitive Edge, while her stakes-winning dam is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner The Lumber Guy. Sadler said some of the barn’s colts that could target local stakes are currently in Southern California. Trainer Mike Maker, also new at the meet, said his local 3-year-old prospects include Relentless Dancer, who romped by 10 lengths in his two-turn debut in October in the $100,000 Louisiana Legacy at Delta Downs. “I’m looking forward to getting Relentless Dancer started back,” he said. Trainer Carl Deville, who is coming off a strong year with 2-year-olds like stakes winner High On Gin, also is new to Oaklawn. Grade 1 winner Nucky, trained by Peter Miller, goes in the Smarty Jones on Friday, while Springboard Mile runner-up Answer In, trained by Brad Cox, has been working at Oaklawn. ◗ Jockey David Cohen, who won last year’s riding title at Oaklawn over perennial leader Ricardo Santana Jr., will have his first mounts here Sunday because he is serving a suspension for a riding infraction from the 2019 meet. He appealed the ruling, and the suspension was reduced from three days on closing day last year. Cohen said a rule in Arkansas requires Oaklawn days to be served at Oaklawn. ◗ Bernie Hettel is the new state steward at Oaklawn following the retirement of Stan Bowker. The other newcomer to the stand is former trainer Hal Wiggins.