For Smart Transition, upsets are in the genes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Upsets are in the blood for Smart Transition, who takes on Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the Travers Stakes on Saturday.

The colt is the first foal out of Zardana, who edged Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra by three-quarters of a length in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes, the champion’s first start of 2010. With Rachel Alexandra sent off at 1-20, Zardana rewarded her backers with a $21 payout that day as the third choice in a five-horse field.

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Zardana never won again, although she did place in three more graded stakes, including a third behind the wildly popular champion Zenyatta in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap. John Shirreffs trained both Zardana and Zenyatta and now conditions Smart Transition as a homebred for Arnold Zetcher. The colt is coming off a 4 3/4-length score in the Curlin Stakes on July 21 at Saratoga, his best performance to date.

“He even surprised me the way he finished, how he opened up at the wire,” Shirreffs said. “I thought he ran a great race, and he’s trained well since then.”

Although Smart Transition was unraced as a juvenile, he hinted at promise early.

“He stood out among the 2-year-olds that we had,” Shirreffs said. “In some of his races, he was very unfortunate; he didn’t get the ride or the trip he needed. In the Curlin, he got the perfect trip. It couldn’t have gone any better for him, and he showed what he was capable of. If we get another good trip, I think he should run very well.”