Wake Up Nick wins I’m Smokin Stakes to stay unbeaten

DEL MAR, Calif. – Wake Up Nick stayed with California-breds, and stayed unbeaten, by capturing the $150,500 I’m Smokin Stakes on Monday at Del Mar, fending off a stretch-long bid from Global Magician to prevail as the 2-5 favorite.

Wake Up Nick ($2.80) went after the leaders while three paths wide on the far turn, was engaged by Global Magician entering the lane, and was all out under jockey Mario Gutierrez to win by a half-length. He covered six furlongs on Polytrack in 1:11.25.

With the first two slugging it out, Cardiac rallied from last in the eight-horse field in the late going to finish third, another half-length back.

Wake Up Nick has won all four of his starts, three against Cal-breds. Owner Paul Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill elected to run in the I’m Smokin instead of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Monday because, O’Neill said, “there’s so much money in the Cal-bred program.”

“That was the right move,” he said.

Wake Up Nick, by Cindago, won the Graduation Stakes for Cal-breds earlier in the meet. With his $85,500 payday Monday, Wake Up Nick has earned more than $250,000.

Wake Up Nick is named for Nick Cosato, a former jockey agent who now owns horses and is close friends with Reddam, O’Neill, and O’Neill’s brother, Dennis.

The name was inspired by a morning this spring when Dennis O’Neill called Cosato to see if he wanted to play golf. Cosato already had been to Santa Anita early in the morning for training and was back in bed when the phone call came at 9:30 a.m. He passed on the tee time.

So, Reddam teased him by naming the colt Wake Up Nick.