Mount Joy Stables’ homebred SMOOTH AIR (Smooth Jazz) overcame a wide trip to
get up late in Saturday’s $300,000
Gulfstream
Park H. (G2), reiterating his affinity for the Hallandale, Florida, oval.
With Paco Lopez in the irons, the Bennie Stutts Jr. trainee rolled past the
dueling pair of Finallymadeit (Concerto) and Formidable (Sky Mesa) to finish the
fast-track mile in 1:35 2/5.
Finallymadeit dictated terms through an opening quarter in :24, but
Formidable advanced along the inside and put his head in front through fractions
of :46 1/5 and 1:09 4/5. Smooth Air, who was tracking just about one length or
so off the pace, moved up to engage the leaders turning for home. Finallymadeit
began to drift significantly to his outside, however, carrying Smooth Air well
out into the center of the track. That enabled the rail-skimming Formidable to
open up by 1 1/2 lengths in midstretch.
Once Smooth Air regrouped, the four-year-old bay hit top gear and drove to a
1 1/4-length victory. The slight third choice at nearly 5-2, he paid $6.80,
$4.40 and $3.20 while keying the $54.60 exacta, $318.40 trifecta and $706.60
superfecta (6-5-2-4).
Finallymadeit managed to collar Formidable by three-quarters of a length for
second. The 10-1 runner-up returned $8.20 and $4.20. Formidable returned $3.60
at 4-1. It was another 4 3/4 lengths back to Bribon (Fr) (Mark of Esteem [Ire])
in fourth, with 2-1 favorite Cool Coal Man (Mineshaft) in fifth and How’s Your
Halo (Halo’s Image) rounding out the order under the wire.
Smooth Air improved his record to 14-6-3-3 while increasing his earnings to
$932,200. He is now two-for-three on the dirt at Gulfstream, having won the 2008
Hutcheson S. (G2) and finished a clear second to champion Big Brown in the
Florida Derby (G1). His resume also includes scores in the Ohio Derby (G2) and
grassy Needles S., as well as placings in the Pennsylvania Derby (G2), Sam F.
Davis S., Dr. Fager division of the Florida Stallion S., Jack Price Juvenile S.
and the Tallahassee S. last time out on turf.
Bred in Florida, Smooth Air is out of the winning French Deputy mare Air
France. He has a pair of half-sisters by Five Star Day, a two-year-old named
Heirness and a yearling named Air Guitar. Air France is herself a daughter of
multiple stakes queen Twin Propeller (Known Fact). This is the family of the
ill-fated Chace City (Carson City), winner of the 2006 Saratoga Special S. (G2);
1994 Prioress S. (G2) victress Penny’s Reshoot (Turkey Shoot), runner-up in that
year’s Test S. (G1); and current Kentucky Oaks (G1) hopeful Justwhistledixie
(Dixie Union), most recently successful in the Davona Dale S. (G2).