MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (July 20, 2008) - Mount Joy Stable’s 3-year-old Florida homebred Smooth Air breezed an easy five furlongs in 1:02 2/5 Sunday morning at Calder Race Course for trainer Bennie Stutts, Jr., posting his first workout since romping to a four-length victory in the $300,000 Ohio Derby (G2) at Thistledown on May 31.
“We got back here about 10 days ago,” said the veteran horsemen, who took Smooth Air and 3-year-old filly stablemate Cubs Fan to Arlington Park to train after the Ohio Derby victory. Mount Joy owner Brian Burns and his family live in Chicago. One original plan for the Smooth Jazz colt’s next start after the Ohio race was the $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows in late June, but he was forced to miss that spot.
“If all goes well, there is enough time to get ready for the ($1 million) Pennsylvania Derby (G2) (Sept. 1 at Philadelphia Park), although there is no rush if he isn’t ready for that. As for the filly (Cubs Fan), she worked this morning, too (6f in 1:15), and there is an allowance race on turf here pretty soon.”
Ziadie Double Saturday Completed by Sister to the ‘Bear’
Kirk Ziadie is currently leading the trainer standings at Calder Race Course as he defends his 2007 meet title, but it was his father Ralph Ziadie that made the news on Saturday’s program as he sent out the winners over both halves of the early daily double, both winning maiden special weight events and both sired by Trippi.
Winning the first race was Ian Parsard’s 2-year-old filly Trippi’s Greatstar, a first-time starter that scored by 1 ½ lengths going six furlongs. The $80,000 OBS March 2-year-old purchase is eligible for the Florida Stallion Stakes series, which begins on Sat., Aug. 16 with the $100,000 Desert Vixen Division for fillies.
Completing the $18.80 double payoff Saturday was the victory of Barbara Smollin’s 3-year-old filly Fancy Stepper, who drew clear to score by four lengths at six furlongs in her third career start. Fancy Stepper is out of Spicy Pearl, whose first foal was the legendary Sir Bear, a multiple Grade I winner of more than $2.5 million for Smollin and Ziadie during his seven-year career from 1996 to 2002.
Ralph Ziadie, 69, won three straight Calder Meet championships (1990-92) and three Tropical Meet titles (1990, 1992 & 1999). Kirk, 40, has won the last two Tropical Meet titles. Ralph has won six Florida Stallion Stakes divisions over the years, most recently with Trust N Luck capturing the In Reality in 2002, a year after being inducted into the Calder Hall of Fame.
Calder Debut Winner Renda to Schuylerville at the Spa Wednesday
Richard Rowan’s 2-year-old Kentucky-bred filly Renda was very impressive winning her career debut at Calder Race Course on May 31 by five lengths for trainer Juan Arias, and will be tested against the best of her peers in the $100,000 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) on Wednesday’s opening day program at Saratoga.
A daughter of freshman stallion Medaglia d’Oro, Renda showed enough in her debut to earn a trip to Kentucky and Churchill Downs for the $100,000 Debutante Stakes (G3) on June 28 and ran very well to be fifth, beaten only 2 ¾ lengths by the winner after breaking last in the field of 10.
The form of Renda’s debut victory at Calder was flattered by the runner-up, Tigerbythetail, coming back to win her next start here by 2 ¼ lengths on July 12. Jockey Javier Castellano will be aboard Renda in the Schuylerville.