Casablanca Smile impresses in La Prevoyante comeback

"I wasn't concerned at all about the layoff," Castellano said. "The trainer

did a great job bringing her back. I rode her with a lot of confidence. She gave

me more than 100 percent. She just galloped beautifully…she put herself on the

lead. Turning for home, I knew I had a lot of horse. She has a powerful turn of

foot. and it was like she had just started the race."

"She's a very, very classy filly," McGaughey said. "Naturally, you'd be

concerned going this distance off that kind of layoff, but I liked that

three-quarters in 1:18. That certainly helped."

Cheetah was 2 3/4 lengths clear of third-placer Tesoro de Amor, a 32-1 shot.

Thislilsoulofmine rallied from far back to grab fourth. Senada, who was checked

on the final turn, reported home fifth. Emerald Beech had advanced into third at

one point on the far turn, but faded down the lane and wound up sixth.

Holidaysatthefarm, Millennia, Coffee Run, Petite Riviere and Ventania rounded

out the order of finish.

Casablanca Smile improved her record to 18-7-6-2, $385,962, reflecting five

stakes wins and eight stakes placings. In her native Chile, the daughter of

Ocean Terrace had the misfortune to compete against Belle Watling, who was

honored as Horse of the Year after her unprecedented sweep of Club Hipico de

Santiago's Quadruple Crown. Casablanca Smile finished second to Belle Watling in

the 2009 Group 1 Premio El Ensayo, Group 1 Premio Polla de Potrancas and Group 3

Premio Julio Subercaseaux, and she checked in third to her in the Group 1 Premio

Nacional Ricardo Lyon.

Once away from Belle Watling in her final two outings at home, Casablanca

Smile garnered the Group 1 Premio Las Oaks and romped in the Group 1 Premio El

Derby by six lengths. Those efforts earned her the champion stayer's title for

the 2009-10 season. Her Chilean resume also includes a victory in the Group 3

Premio Carlos Valdes Izquierdo.

Since joining McGaughey in the United States in early 2010, Casablanca Smile

has yet to finish out of the top three. In her U.S. debut in the Grade 3 All

Along at Colonial Downs, she finished third to eventual Breeders' Cup Filly &

Mare Turf winner Shared Account. Casablanca Smile then ran second twice at

Saratoga, in the Waya and the Grade 3 Glens Falls, before crushing the Dowager

at Keeneland by seven lengths in front-running fashion. That was her final start

of 2010, and the last in a race not named the La Prevoyante.

"I had her entered in a race in New York before we came down here," McGaughey

said, alluding to the November 6 Spice Island at Aqueduct, "but she came up with

a little foot problem and I had to scratch her. She got over that real quick.

"I thought she'd run good today, and if she got beat, it would simply be the

layoff. I think her best distance is between a mile-and-a-quarter and a

mile-and-a-half. I'll talk to the owner about her future in the next week, and

we'll map out a plan for her future."

Bred by Haras El Sheik, Casablanca Smile is a half-sister to Chilean Group 1

winners Patakuza and Stormy Impact, as well as to Chilean Group 2 victress

Pretty Cat and Group 1-placed Golden Impact. They are out of the Sadlers

Congress mare Periza, who is herself a full sister to Group 1 diva Pelusada.