Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Smooth Air To Race In Florida Derby
Posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008
With less than three weeks before the $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I) on March 29 at Gulfstream Park, nearly a dozen Kentucky Derby hopefuls were indicated to race by their connections. One of them is Mount Joy Stables’ Smooth Air.
According to horse trainer Bennie Stutts, Smooth Air is a contender for the Florida Derby (gr. I) after working a mile Sunday morning.
The Florida homebred son of Smooth Jazz posted his second straight one mile breeze at Calder Race Course and will bid for a second stakes victory at Gulfstream this year after capturing the seven-furlong Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) on January 5 at Gulfstream Park.
Jockey Manny Cruz guided Smooth Air on Sunday through the mile drill in 1:45 3/5.
“The track was a little slow, but sometimes when you bring a horse up to a race you can leave a horse’s best performance in a workout,” said Stutts from the Gulfstream’s winner’s circle after a victory by Mount Joy’s Slate Sunday afternoon.
“We’re trying to avoid that. Last week we did a mile in 1:47. Today it was 1:45 and change, and next week it will be a shorter, faster work. We’re trying to bring him up properly.”
The main 3-year-old contenders of Gulfstream Park’s Florida Derby include IEAH Stable and partners’ Big Brown, Robert S. Evans’ Elysium Fields, and Bea Oxenberg’s Hey Byrn.
Also on the Florida Derby contenders list are Four Roses Thoroughbreds’ Fierce Wind, Garland Williamson’s Cool Gator, M375 Thoroughbreds and Suarez Racing’s Golden Spikes, Jet Set Racing’s Tomcito, Alien Farm Allen Furst’s Nistle’s Crunch, Hardacre Farm’s B B Frank, and Rose Family Stable’s Make Me Zach.
"Smooth Air To Race In Florida Derby" was posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008 at 9:08 pm and is filed under Gulfstream Park, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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