Dynamic Sky scores first turf victory in Red Smith Handicap

Dynamic Sky, winless in five graded stakes at Woodbine this year, broke through for his first career victory on the grass in Saturday’s 55th running of the $250,000 Red Smith Handicap, the final graded turf stakes of the season in New York.

Dynamic Sky raced in the middle of the pack for nearly a mile, found a seam along the rail in mid-stretch under Cornelio Velasquez, and slipped through inside of Legendary to grab the lead. In doing so, he got the jump on Big Blue Kitten, who had finished two lengths ahead of him when second best in the Grade 1 Canadian International last month.

Dynamic Sky, who carried 120 pounds while in receipt of three pounds from the top-weighted Big Blue Kitten, paid $14.20 to win as the third choice in a field of 10.

“I had a good trip,” said Velasquez. “I saved ground the whole way, and I had a lot of horse at the quarter pole. I asked, and he gave me everything.”

Dynamic Sky ran 1 3/8 miles in 2:18.85 on a yielding course. The $150,000 winner’s share boosted his earnings to $938,797 for owner John Oxley and trainer Mark Casse.

“He got a great trip today, and everything seemed to come together for him,” said assistant trainer Kathryn Sullivan. “He didn’t have the best start in the International, which put him behind in the race, but today, everything went exactly as planned. Cornelio took him off the pace a little bit and had him sitting perfectly. When that hole opened, he just went on through and had a ton of horse. It was perfect. You couldn’t ask for a better trip.”

Big Blue Kitten wasn’t as lucky. The 4-5 favorite trailed to the top of the stretch and finished strongly after weaving through heavy traffic beneath Joel Rosario to take second over the 39-1 outsider Margano.

Legendary surged past Micromanage to take command on the third turn, led to a furlong out, and faded to wind up fifth as the 7-2 second choice.