Get Smokin Speeds Home to Take Tampa Bay
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Photo: SV Photography
Get Smokin wins the Tampa Bay Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
Get Smokin finished off 2020 with his first graded stakes victory and a narrow loss in grade 1 company, and Feb. 6 the Get Stormy gelding continued his consistent roll by winning his 4-year-old debut in the $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs.
The chestnut trained by Thomas Bush for the Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust broke through in the Oct. 18 Hill Prince Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park before finishing fourth beaten less than a length in the Nov. 28 Hollywood Derby (G1T) at Del Mar. Both efforts, the Hill Prince at a mile and the Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles, came while setting the pace.
In between those distances Saturday at 1 1/16 miles and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Get Smokin settled in second as Proven Strategies broke on top and set fractions of :22.75, :46.39, and 1:10.65 through six furlongs. He took over in the stretch and opened up a three-length lead before holding off a late-running Eons to win by three-quarters of a length. The final time on firm turf was 1:40.75.
"We're thrilled. We were worried about the speed in there and I knew that one horse (Proven Strategies) would be a little bit of a thorn in our side today, but (Get Smokin) was ready today. We were pretty confident. (Junior Alvarado) rode a beauty for sure," Bush said. "Our horse was coming into it great, we gave him a little freshening after California, and he has really responded since he got to Florida. He's been in the feed tub and we were really hoping he would run this race and he did. We're probably going to hold off on him and hopefully he will be ready for Keeneland. (Mary Sullivan) lives in Vero Beach and just watched it on TV and she just called and is very excited. She will be 92 on Monday and is thrilled."
Admission Office rallied to finish third behind Eons and Talk Or Listen was fourth. The 5-2 favorite Greyes Creek was fifth in the 12-horse field. Get Smokin paid $10 for a $2 win wager.
"I had to get out of there running," Alvarado said. "He's a fast horse and he likes to be on the lead, but I knew (Proven Strategies) has a lot of speed too, so it wasn't necessary for me to keep going after him and go head-to-head. So I took a hold and my horse came back to me beautifully and relaxed so well. I knew the whole way around I had plenty of horse under me and by the three-eighths pole, when I put him outside and started picking it up, I had plenty of horse left. Turning for home, I was just a passenger and keeping him happy and he started picking it up on his own without me asking, so I knew I was in good shape."
Get Smokin was bred in Kentucky by Hurstland Farm and James Greene Jr. out of the Smoke Glacken mare Hookah Lady. His 3-year-old half brother Bottom Deck (Alternation ) has raced twice this year at Gulfstream Park and he has a 2-year-old full sister named She's Stormy.
Sullivan, with Taproot Bloodstock as agent, purchased Get Smokin for $11,000 in 2018 from Hurstland's consignment to The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's fall yearling sale. From 12 starts, Get Smokin holds a 3-3-2 record and has earned $319,540.
Counterparty Risk Lives Up to Odds in Endeavour
Klaravich Stables' Counterparty Risk lived up to her favoritism at 4-5 in the $150,000 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes (G3T) Saturday at Tampa. The 4-year-old Australia filly ridden by John Velazquez stalked the pace in fourth along the rail, drove through to take over in the stretch, and powered to a one-length win.
The Chad Brown trainee completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.20.
Counterparty Risk wins the Endeavour Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
"She did everything good, thank God," Velazquez said. "It was perfect because (pacesetter) No Mercy Percy was keeping everybody outside. I cut the corner and she came running really well."
New York Girl ran second throughout and Margaret's Joy rallied from last for third. No Mercy Percy, who set fractions of :24.31, :49.40, and 1:13.56, finished fourth.
Bred in Ireland by Grangecon Holdings, Counterparty Risk is out of the Acclamation mare Anklet, who has another 3-year-old Australia filly named Jaarpita and a yearling colt by the same sire, as well as a 2-year-old Churchill colt named Papa Cocktail.
Klaravich purchased Counterparty Risk for $446,799 from The Castlebridge Consignment at the 2018 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. From two wins and a second in four starts, the bay filly has earned $153,580.
"She's a real exciting prospect for us moving forward," Brown said. "(Her winning a grade 3 in her fourth start) is a credit to my team. She has had some injuries, none serious, but always inconveniencing and requiring patience. (Owner) Seth Klarman is extremely patient and always puts the horses' interests first. She ran super today and got a terrific ride from Johnny V, which is what you expect from a Hall of Famer. She shot through the opening and showed a great turn of foot. We are very grateful for her ability and my team's preparation."
Video: Tampa Bay S. (G3T)