Jeff Bonde had hoped to keep 3-year-old Smiling Tiger with his own age group by sending him to Eastern stakes engagements. When a brief illness cost the colt some training time, however, the trainer decided to tackle older horses in Del Mar's Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) Aug. 1. Smiling Tiger gave Bonde the first grade 1 victory of his training career, winning in a manner that suggests age makes no difference to him.
"He's got such a long stride and just does things so easily," said Bonde, who picked out the Kentucky-bred son of Hold That Tiger—Shandra Smiles, by Cahill Road, for $40,000 at a Washington yearling sale.
Bonde had expected Smiling Tiger to battle for the lead with favored Cost of Freedom. But when Cost of Freedom broke in the air, getting away last of six, jockey Victor Espinoza was able to put Smiling Tiger on an uncontested lead. The colt turned in quick fractions and sped the six furlongs in 1:09.21. Australian import Scenic Blast closed well for second, 1 1/2 lengths behind the winner and 3 1/4 lengths in front of Triple Bend Handicap (G1) winner E Z's Gentleman.
Phil Lebherz and Alan Klein, financiers from the California Bay Area, own Smiling Tiger, one of 12 racehorses they have together in partnership. As a 2-year-old, Smiling Tiger romped in a maiden race and the Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate Fields before finishing third to Lookin At Lucky in the Best Pal Stakes (G2) and the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at Del Mar. Surgery for an entrapped epiglottis kept the colt away from the races until this past spring at Hollywood Park, where he finished third in the Harry Henson Stakes and won the Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes (G3).
Bonde said he wasn't sure where Smiling Tiger would run next, the ultimate 2010 goal being the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). Sprinters can vie again at Del Mar in the seven-furlong Pat O'Brien Stakes (G1), a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" event.
Two other horses at Del Mar earned their way into Breeders' Cup races with graded stakes victories over the weekend. Through the "Win and You're In" program, Dakota Phone qualified for the Dirt Mile with a win in the July 31 San Diego Handicap (G2) and Temple City punched his ticket for the Marathon in taking the July 30 Cougar II Handicap (G3).
Near misses have plagued Dakota Phone, who until the San Diego hadn't won a race in 16 starts, though he had placed in such stakes as the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) and San Antonio Handicap (G2). Jockey Joel Rosario dropped the gelding back to last early in the 1 1/16-mile San Diego, and they came flying wide on the final turn to defeat favored Battle of Hastings by a half-length in 1:43.55.
"We've had this horse a long time and made money, but he's done it the hard way," trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. Hollendorfer owns the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Zavata—World of Gold, by Spinning World, with George Todaro, Ted Aroney's Halo Farms, and John Carver.
In the 1 1/2-mile Cougar II, Joe Talamo piloted Temple City to a 3 1/4-length win over Unusual Suspect in 2:30.46. Richard's Kid, who was entered and scratched from the San Diego, finished third as the 11-10 favorite.
Carla Gaines trains Temple City for B. Wayne Hughes, and the victory was one of three wins on the card for the conditioner. Hughes bred the 5-year-old son of Dynaformer—Curriculum, by Danzig, in Kentucky.