Statebred stakes, turf in future for Hot Smoke

CYPRESS, Calif. – Hot Smoke, the debut winner of a maiden special weight race for California-breds at Los Alamitos on Sunday, is likely to stay within the statebred division in the immediate future.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro said Wednesday that the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile for California-breds at seven furlongs on Nov. 5 is a short-term goal for Hot Smoke. Later, Diodoro said, Hot Smoke will be tried in turf races around two turns.

Owned by Mercedes Stable, Hot Smoke is a half-brother to Rock Me Baby, a winner of two stakes in California who earned $494,454.

Diodoro’s stable has been led this year by Subtle Indian, who won the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint at Oaklawn Park in April. Subtle Indian raced in California in the spring and summer and was turned out following an eighth-place finish in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on July 31.

Diodoro said Subtle Indian was injured leaving the gate of the Bing Crosby and faces a lengthy recovery. He declined to provide details of the injury.

“It will be a long time before you see him again,” he said. “It’s not a good situation.”

Diodoro said the injury is not life-threatening.

Subtle Indian, a 4-year-old gelding, has won 7 of 12 starts and earned $600,645. Following the win in the Count Fleet, Subtle Indian was second in two sprint stakes at Santa Anita – the Grade 2 Kona Gold Stakes in May and the Grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes in June.