Coletti's plan for Smokinpaddylassie one step from fruition

In the Laurel Park winner’s circle following the Beyond the Wire Stakes on March 17, trainer Eddie Coletti Jr. was asked where he might next start Smokinpaddylassie, who had just improved her perfect record to three wins. Coletti didn’t hesitate and said the Grade 2 Gazelle at Aqueduct was likely because it offered qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks.

Smokinpaddylassie, a Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Paddy O’Prado, will get her chance to make the Oaks field Saturday when she stretches out to 1 1/8 miles in the $300,000 Gazelle. The Gazelle offers 170 qualifying points to the top four finishers on a 100-40-20-10 basis.

Coletti, 48, is a third-generation trainer whose roots trace to New England. He has long been based at Parx Racing, where he has knocked out 337 of his 450 career wins. If Smokinpaddylassie can keep her record unblemished in the Gazelle, she will be Coletti’s first graded stakes winner.

“I’ve had some good horses, won stakes, but I think she’s like the next step,” Coletti said. “I’ve never had a filly train like her.”

Smokinpaddylassie is the third racehorse owned by Ed Bruzek. He bought her from her breeder, Richie Simoff, who operates Twin Ponds Farm in southern Pennsylvania, not far from Fair Hill, Md.

“I had a filly with Richie, and they were galloping together and doing good,” Coletti said. “He asked me if I had anyone who would want to buy Smokinpaddylassie. I brought Ed and his wife down and they fell in love with her.”

Smokinpaddylassie won her debut on the front end at Parx by 2 1/2 lengths last July, defeating her coupled stablemate Dixie Serenade by 2 1/2 lengths. She would not race again until February.

“I worked her a few times after her maiden win, but she had a little bit of a shin,” Coletti said. “I thought she was a nice filly so we pin-fired it and gave her the time she needed.”

Smokinpaddylassie showed speed in her return and beat Dixie Serenade in a Parx allowance by 4 1/4 lengths, earning a solid 84 Beyer Speed Figure over a muddy track. Three of the four fillies behind her that day, including Dixie Serenade, came back to win their next start.

Coletti thought about running Smokinpaddylassie in the one-mile Busher at Aqueduct on March 3, but an equine herpesvirus quarantine was in effect in New York and he would not have been able to bring her back to Parx after the race.

He also considered the Bourbonette at Turfway Park, which like the Busher is a qualifying race for the Oaks, but ultimately shipped her to Laurel for the one-mile Beyond the Wire.

Smokinpaddylassie showed speed from the gate but was soon joined and then passed by the speedy Limited View, who opened up a lengthy lead on the turn. Smokinpaddylassie rated off Limited View, but at one point seemed to be losing interest. When another horse came up to her, she responded and began to advance.

Jockey John Bisono kept her to the inside for the stretch run, and she passed a tiring Limited View in the final sixteenth and drew off to a 2 1/4-length score.

“Honestly, on the turn I was kind of scared,” Coletti said. “I knew she’d rate because she does in the morning. But when she dropped back out of contention I wasn’t sure she knew what to do. But when that horse came up outside her, she started running again.”

Coletti shipped Smokinpaddylassie to New York on Tuesday so she can settle in before the Gazelle.

“She’s a little high strung,” Coletti said. “At Laurel, she got a little wet in the paddock. I want her to get a feel for the track. I’m going to school her a little bit and give her a little taste of what to expect.”

Smokinpaddylassie likely will have to finish second or better to earn enough points to make the Oaks field.