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Junebugred takes easy route to win Smarty Jones
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| Junebugred saved enough ground to take the Smarty Jones over Reckless Jerry
(Coady Photography) |
Wide trips did in several contenders in Monday's $100,000
Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park, but Alex and Joann Lieblong's
Junebugred largely avoided that fate with a well-executed ride by Joe Bravo.
Tracking in the second tier while saving ground most of the way, the Corinthian
colt faced a wall of horses approaching the stretch. Bravo saw the rail open up
turning for home, deftly guided his mount to the inside and surged late while
holding off a belated charge from 17-1 chance Reckless Jerry. The winning margin
was a neck with one mile completed in a time of 1:38 2/5 over a fast track.
Junebugred returned $14.80, $7 and $4.60 as the 6-1 third choice in a field of
12 three-year-olds.
Reckless Jerry arguably ran the best race in defeat, racing five wide much of
the way yet still having plenty of energy to make things close despite the short
stretch run. He was a length clear ahead of the the filly On Fire Baby, the 6-5
favorite who endured a four-wide journey throughout. She was a half-length clear
of 15-1 chance Jake Mo, who raced three-wide the whole way. Fifth was the
pacesetter Laurie's Rocket, who set splits of :23 3/5, :48 1/5 and 1:12 3/5.
Completing the order of finish was 2-1 second choice Optimizer, Copus, Prince
Cheval, King Coral, No Spin, Fastestwhogetspaid and Hard Nosed.
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Junebugred is trained by Steve Hobby, who along with David Fawkes helped get
Junebugred to the races last fall. Fawkes was the trainer of record for the
colt's two outings as a juvenile. A distant third in his Monmouth Park debut as
the 6-5 favorite on October 16, Junebugred rebounded against better company at
Aqueduct on November 26 when taking a one-mile maiden special weight by a
length. Transferred to the Hobby's Oaklawn barn shortly thereafter, Junebugred
will advance to his next start with career earnings of $95,400.
"His first time out he hadn't had any dirt in his face and he got to hopping
and jumping around like a lot of first-time starters do," Hobby said. "We went
and sent him to David in New York to give him a shot on the track up there."
Junebugred was bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds and was a $20,000
Keeneland September yearling. He was produced by the Grade 2-placed Dixie
Melody, a daughter of Dixieland Band, which makes the Smarty Jones winner a
half-brother to the multiple stakes-winning Joe Six Pack. This female family is
responsible for Grade 1 winner Cacoethes, Fabulous Notion, Subordination, and
Careless Jewel, as well as champion turf mare Fiji.
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