Smokey Glacken clinches No. 1

Smokey Glacken left little doubt about who is the top filly-and-mare sprinter in south Florida this winter after cruising to an easy 3 1/2-length victory over Atlas Valley in Saturday's $100,000 at Gulfstream Park.

Smokey Glacken, a 5-year-old daughter of Forestry, added the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie to her similarly easy victory here four weeks earlier in the Grade 3 First Lady Handicap.

Smokey Glacken broke alertly from her outside post and sped right to the lead under jockey Javier Castellano, shook free going into the stretch, and increased her advantage under pressure. Atlas Valley rallied along the inside to finish second, a neck in front of the 40-1 Beautiful Bets. Multiple Grade 1 winner Splendid Blended, making her first start since winning the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap on July 3, tracked the winner into the stretch before finishing a tiring sixth in a scratch-reduced field of 10 fillies and mares.

Smokey Glacken ran the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.47 over a fast track and paid $4.60.

"In her last two starts she broke very well," said Jimmy Jerkens, who trains Smokey Glacken for Susan and John Moore. "She can relax when she breaks well and then she's tough to beat."

Taittinger Rose last to first in Sabin

Earlier on the card, Taittinger Rose rallied from last to win the $100,000 , outfinishing Mocita by 2 1/4 lengths. The victory was one of three stakes wins on the day for trainer Bill Mott, who also took the Suncoast and Endeavour stakes at Tampa Bay Downs with Crystal Current and My Lordship, respectively.

Taittinger Rose, a 5-year-old daughter of Menifee, raced close up early in the Grade 3 Sabin but gradually fell to the rear of the pack in the run down the backstretch. Jockey Edgar Prado guided her to the better footing on the outside around the second turn from where she rallied willingly to outfinish Mocita. Miss Matched weakened badly after setting the early pace from a deep rail and finished last in a field of six fillies and mares.

Taittinger Rose returned $5.40 after covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.49.

"She's probably as consistent a mare as you can ask for," said Mott, who was at Tampa on Saturday. "She's done that before. In the middle of the race she drops back and you think she's going to get nothing and then she comes on again."

The Sabin was the first graded win and last start of Taittinger Rose's career. Mott said she likely will be bred to Fusaichi Pegasus.