Smokin' T making quick return for BWI Turf Cup
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With top-three finishes in his last six starts, Smokin’ T has been a model of consistency for trainer Shug McGaughey.
That overall body of work, coupled with his excellent tactical speed, makes Smokin’ T a strong contender in Saturday’s Grade 3 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup for 3-year-olds and up at one mile at Pimlico.
Smokin’ T earned his first stakes victory winning the restricted Lure at Saratoga over yielding going Aug. 5. In his most recent race, just two weeks ago at Kentucky Downs, he finished a game third in the Grade 3 Mint Millions.
“He ran really well to win the Lure in Saratoga and ran a bang-up race at Kentucky Downs,” McGaughey told Pimlico track publicity. “He’s coming back a little quick, but he seems to be training good, so we’ll take a shot and see what happens.”
Highestdistinction seeks his third consecutive victory for trainer Lindsay Schultz. Dismissed at 10-1 in Monmouth’s Oceanport on Aug. 13, Highestdistinction raced three and four wide throughout and still scored by 1 1/2 lengths with a career-high 95 Beyer Speed Figure.
“It’s how he likes to run, which isn’t ideal for turf horses” Schultz told Daily Racing Form on Thursday morning about Highestdistinction’s preference for being outside. “He has a high cruising speed, and if we can get him cruising, he wants to keep on running.”
King Vega returned from a 284-day break to post a dead-heat victory in a high-level allowance on Aug. 3 at Colonial.
“He was very game, I thought,” trainer Graham Motion told track publicity. “We’ve always thought he was that kind of horse, but it’s a lot to do coming off that long layoff.”
King Vega has good early speed, and Motion expects the gelding to be on or near the lead under Forest Boyce. King Vega will cut back a furlong on Saturday, and that concerns Motion a bit.
“Honestly, I wish this race was a little farther, but I don’t exactly know what his best distance is,” said Motion, who had considered starting King Vega in another spot going 1 1/4 miles at Woodbine, but opted to remain local.
He’spuregold, a four-time stakes-winner against New Jersey-breds, finished third in the Oceanport behind Highestdistinction. He saved ground behind the leader, moved through on the fence turning into the stretch, but was held up a bit squeezing through a tight spot.
Cazadero stretches out to a mile for the first time in his career. A Grade 3 winner on dirt and a Grade 2 winner on turf, he is a half-brother to Grade 2-winning dirt router Dubyuhnell and Grade 3-placed dirt router Almost Famous.
Trainer Diane Morici said Thursday morning that she will instead run Tee At One on Saturday in Delaware Park’s Cape Henlopen Stakes.
Jonathan Thomas, who conditions Wolfie’s Dynaghost, mentioned that he is uncertain whether to run the gelding, who captured an allowance race at Kentucky Downs only 16 days ago.
Grade 1 winner Doppelganger and Business Model entered for the main track only.
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