Moulin de Mougin gives Smith birthday win in Mabee Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – For a guy who turned 49 Sunday, Mike Smith is still showing the young ’uns how to “git ’er done.”

With a large contingent of his New Mexico relatives in town at Del Mar to celebrate, Smith gave them plenty to shout about – and gave himself a nice birthday present – Sunday afternoon by guiding Moulin de Mougin to an upset victory in the Grade 2, $250,250 John C. Mabee Stakes for older female turf runners.

The Mabee victory gave Smith a sweep of the weekend’s stakes, both on turf, as grass racing resumed here after a hiatus of more than one week. Smith also captured the La Jolla Handicap on Saturday with Enterprising, and in both stakes, he dived to the inside in deep stretch.

“And they say us old guys won’t ride the rail,” Smith said.

Moulin de Mougin ($18.40) was fifth in the six-horse field for most of the race, with Smith patiently waiting to let loose Moulin de Mougin. After a pedestrian six furlongs in 1:12.55, Moulin de Mougin came roaring up the inside and caught pacesetter Wishing Gate in the closing yards to win the 1 1/8-mile grass race by a half-length.

Cozze Up Lady was another half-length back in third. Stormy Lucy was fourth and was followed, in order, by Every Way and Miss Serendipity, the 9-5 favorite, who steadied at mid-stretch.

A stewards’ inquiry into Miss Serendipity having to steady resulted in no change to the original order of finish.

Moulin de Mougin, trained by Richard Mandella, completed 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:47.96.

“I hardly ever do any good on my birthday. But I had a great feeling coming into today,” Smith said. “I loved how my filly ran last time, and Mr. Mandella told me she’d really been doing well, which meant I could expect even more of her today.”

The win was the fourth in 13 starts for Moulin de Mougin, but it was her first in a stakes race. She had finished third in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine at Santa Anita in her last start June 28.

Moulin de Mougin, 4, is named for a restaurant in France. She is a daughter of Curlin out of the Avenue of Flags mare Cambiocorsa, who during her racing days was a terror on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita. Moulin de Mougin was bred and is owned by the RanJan Racing Stable of Robert Naify and Jan Vandebos.