Smoocher rallies to win Grey BC

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Smoocher rallied inside from well back, and kissed the field goodbye in the stretch to take the Grade 2, $277,250 Grey Breeders' Cup Stakes for 2-year-olds at Woodbine Sunday.

Smoocher trailed early under jockey Jim McAleney, as Estevan and San Diego Blowout hooked up through fractions of :24.31 and :47.87 in the mile and a sixteenth event. Estevan emerged with lead on the far turn, through three-quarters in 1:12.50, as Smoocher and Niigon loomed into contention.

Smoocher hit the front around the three-sixteenths pole, and jumped the gate tracks with a sixteenth left, but managed to hold his ground to prevail by two and a quarter lengths. Organ Grinder rallied wide to edge Niigon by a head for second, while Twisted Wit faded to fourth after stalking the pace. Silver Ticket, the 3-2 favorite, never fired and finished eighth in the nine-horse field. The final time was 1:46.74.

Smoocher returned $14.70 in his stakes debut, and earned $166,250 for owner/breeder John Franks. David Bell trains the Florida-bred colt by Kissin Kris.