Smile victory caps riches-to-rags-to-riches story for Miles Ahead
While out-of-towners Ce Ce and Estilo Talentoso took home the major swag, finishing first and second in Saturday’s Grade 2, $350,000 Princess Rooney Invitational, locals earned their share of the big money up for grabs last weekend with Miles Ahead capturing the $200,000 Smile Sprint and Warrior’s Pride the $100,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint.
Miles Ahead has become one of the better stories on the local circuit over the past couple of seasons. A $175,000 2-year-old purchase, he won his maiden under a $12,500 claiming tag in his second start before rising steadily up the class ladder to become a Grade 3 winner by virtue of his half-length decision over Chance It in the six-furlong Smile. Miles Ahead, 4, is trained by Eddie Plesa Jr., among the leading trainers on the South Florida circuit for the past three decades, for a partnership that includes his wife, Laurie, along with David Melin and Leon Ellman.
“You buy horses, some you give more money than others,” Plesa said. “This horse, the partnership gave $175,000 for him and he didn’t show anything working in the morning. He couldn’t outrun the pony. I put him on turf for his first start hoping it might make a difference. And it did not. So rather than fool around with him, we just decided to drop him to the bottom. Sometimes one race can wake a horse up. And he’s become a perfect example of why sometimes you can’t give up on one too early. The ownership trusted my judgment and it turned out well. It’s been a good story for us.”
Miles Ahead defeated bottom-level maiden claimers by 12 1/4 lengths, and the son of Competitive Edge went on to win four more times in six tries to complete his 3-year-old campaign, earning Beyer Speed Figures in the 87-95 range while competing against $25,000 claiming and starter-allowance company. He took his game up another notch this past winter and has now won three of his last four starts, with his lone setback during that span by a head to two-time Breeders’ Cup participant Diamond Oops in an overnight handicap in his final prep for the Smile.
“He ran a big, big race when second to [Diamond Oops] two back, he was doing good, his numbers looked good, so this seemed like the right spot,” said Plesa regarding the Smile. “This was certainly a try-and-see-where-we’re-at-with-him race, and obviously he passed the test. Horses mature as they get older. Some are a little slower to come around.”
Plesa said winning the Smile had extra meaning for him from a personal standpoint.
“It was special to win the Smile because he was trained by Frank Gomez, who was stabled right next to us, and was someone I admired and thought the world of for years,” Plesa said.
Plesa said that if all goes well he plans to ship Miles Ahead to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on July 31– when a good story could get even better this summer.