Smooth Air |
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| Barbara D. Livingston |
2008 Prep Recap
| Date | Trk | Race | Chart | Distance | Time | BSF | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/5 | GP | Hutcheson Stakes (G2) | Chart | 7 fur. | 1:23 | 95 |  |
| 2/16 | TAM | Sam F. Davis | Chart | 1 1/16m | 1:44 | 86 | |
| 3/29 | GP | Florida Derby (G1) | Chart | 1 1/8m | 1:48 | 98 | |
Analysis (by Kenny Peck)
Strengths: He is coming off his best effort yet in terms of Beyer Speed Figures, closing for the place in the Florida Derby behind Kentucky Derby favorite Big Brown. He’s in line for a career-top figure if he moves forward here, and that would put him in the hunt as far as Beyers go. Running style should suit, as the pace is likely to be quick, and if he gets a clean trip he should be picking up horses late.
Weaknesses: A slight fever the week of a race is more than a slight concern, much more so when the race is the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Bennie Stutts Jr. has been very cautious with this colt, and he wouldn’t be in the race if Stutts felt the horse was compromised. But given the fact that he would need to run the race of his life to win, this it’s certainly a concern if he’s not at his best. His best Beyer came in his last race, the Florida Derby, but he was still five lengths behind Big Brown in that one despite a fast pace up front. He’ll need to run even faster here, and though there’s speed in the race, the fractions don’t figure to be much quicker than what he got there. Two of his three wins have come over wet tracks; over dry strips, he has 1 win in 5 starts. Also, he’s winless in two starts going two turns.
Strategy: He’ll take back off the pace and hope for quick fractions and a clean trip. If he has any run, he’ll look to make use of it into the final turn.
Value: He looms a big price and is worth using in exotics, as he’s an exacta threat if there’s a pace meltdown.
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Owners: Mount Joy Stables Inc. |
Pedigree Profile (by Lauren Stich)
Sire Line: Smooth Jazz won the Best Turn Stakes and Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup Stakes, and Smooth Air is from his first crop. Stakes-placed Storm Boot is a speed influence by Storm Cat and is best known as the sire of the speedy fillies Hurricane Bertie and Bourbon Belle.
Female Family: Air France won twice in 11 starts. Second dam, Twin Propeller, was a two-time stakes winner and is a half-sister to Daimon, Penny’s Reshoot, and Hope Rises. Fifth dam is a half-sister to Shenanigans, the dam of Ruffian, Icecapade, Buckfinder, On to Glory, and Laughter, the dam of Private Terms. This is also the female family that produced 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus.
Pedigree Pattern: There’s no question that this classy female family may be the reason a son of Smooth Jazz has accomplished so much at distances that appear beyond his scope. While Smooth Air has shown the ability to get nine furlongs, the Derby distance is questionable.