Smokey Glacken gets job done

Smokey Glacken proved that warm weather or cold, on the lead or off the pace, it really doesn't matter these days, when she rallied to her third straight graded stakes win of the year, a neck victory over Magnolia Jackson in Saturday's $150,000 at Aqueduct.

Smokey Glacken recently returned to New York after posting one-sided decisions in Gulfstream Park's Grade 3 First Lady and Hurricane Bertie handicaps to open her 2006 campaign. A 5-year-old daughter of Forestry, she had to alter her usual front-running tactics in the Grade 2 Distaff Breeders' Cup after stumbling briefly at the break and getting outrun to the front by Flame of Love. She was able, though, to overtake the leader readily after coming a bit wide into the stretch. She edged clear and then was fully extended to withstand both Magnolia Jackson and Annika Lass.

The New York-bred Magnolia Jackson, who entered the Distaff riding a three-race win streak, rallied willingly from between horses to outfinish Annika Lass by a half-length for second. They, in turn, were followed by Maddalena, Great Intentions, and the tiring Flame of Love.

Smokey Glacken is trained by James Jerkens for owners Susan and John Moore. She covered six furlongs in 1:10.40 over a fast track and paid $3.

"She was getting late at the end," said Jerkens. "She stumbled leaving there, and whenever she doesn't show that electrifying speed you know the track is a little cuppier than her liking. Considering that, it was a gutsy effort."