Justalittlesmoke romps in Scarlet and Gray Handicap
Each of the last three times Justalittlesmoke raced over muddy or sloppy surfaces she got beat, including a head loss in last year’s Scarlet and Gray Handicap. But on Saturday at Thistledown, the 4-year-old Justalittlesmoke had no problem handling the slop en route to her fourth straight victory.
Content to chase pacesetting 3-year-old filly Proper Discretion through the first half-mile in 45.34 seconds, Justalittlesmoke ($3.60) challenged for the lead entering the turn for home, opened up by two lengths at the eighth pole, and drew clear to easily win the $75,000 Scarlet and Gray for Ohio-bred fillies and mares by 7 1/4 lengths.
In winning for the 11th time in 18 career starts, Justalittlesmoke, a daughter of Smoke Glacken trained by Bob Gorham for Mast Thoroughbreds, completed six furlongs under T.D. Houghton in 1:10.32. The $45,000 winner's share of the purse increased her bankroll to $533,170.
Proper Discretion, who came into the stakes riding a four-race winning streak, was a clear second, four lengths in front of Needmore Flattery.