Justalittlesmoke much the best in Michael Mackey Memorial/Angenora
Justalittlesmoke solidified her status as the best Ohio-bred mare in training with a dominant victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Michael Mackey Memorial/Angenora Stakes at Thistledown.
Last season’s champion handicap mare in Ohio, the 5-year-old Justalittlesmoke ($3) won the Mackey/Angenora for the second straight year. Her only loss in her last eight starts came when she missed by a nose to champion male sprinter Rivers Run Deep in the Best of Ohio Sprint last fall.
With regular rider Terry Houghton aboard, Justalittlesmoke, a daughter of Smoke Glacken trained by Bob Gorham for Mast Thoroughbreds, was part of a brief three-way battle for the early lead before edging in front of Proper Discretion by a head after a half-mile in 44.68 seconds. Justalittlesmoke took a three-length lead at midstretch and rolled home 2 3/4 lengths in front, completing six furlongs in 1:10 flat.
La Nina Bronca rallied from sixth to finish second by three lengths at 27-1 with Proper Discretion winning a photo for third by a head over Bold Cait. La Quebrada, coming off a 10 1/2-length win in her season debut, was part of the early pace tussle before fading to last.
Justalittlesmoke has now won 14 of 22 starts and $677,870.
One race earlier, the 8-year-old mare Moonshine Promise ($5) earned her fourth straight victory, scoring by two lengths in a third-level optional $25,000 claimer for fillies and mares going a mile for trainer Anthony Rini and jockey Luis Colon.