Western Smoke takes Sapling
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Western Smoke surged to the lead midway on the turn Saturday and held off a late run from Not Macho Any More to win the , the top event for 2-year-olds at Monmouth Park.
It was the third straight stakes victory for the gray son of Smoke Glacken, the 1996 Sapling winner. The streak started with the Prairie Gold Juvenile and continued with the Charles Town Juvenile. Western Smoke is owned by Kirk and Judy Robison.
It was the third Sapling win for trainer Steve Asmussen in the last five years, following victories by He's Got Grit in 2005 and Lantana Mob in 2007.
Elvis Trujillo, Monmouth's leading rider, guided Western Smoke ($3.60) to 1 3/4-length victory timed in 1:09.55 for the six furlongs on a fast track.
"This colt sure can run, and he showed that this afternoon," Trujillo said. "He has natural speed and he can carry it."
El Rocco was third, followed by Whats Up Cuge, Come From Behind, One Roll, Awesome Son, and Toccet's Charm.
Truth and Justice wires Sorority
Truth and Justice ($9.80) was the front-running winner in the , the companion event for 2-year-old fillies.
Joe Bravo guided Truth and Justice to her second win in four starts. They set an aggressive pace, 21.93 seconds and 44.62, eventually pulling clear to a 3 1/2-length win over Fuzzy Britches, who closed along the inside. Kinsey, the 6-5 favorite, stumbled at the start and finished third. Jackie's Express was fourth, with For Royalty the trailer.
Bickersons, part of an entry with Truth and Justice, was an early scratch.
"This filly ran very impressively," said Kelly Breen, trainer of Truth and Justice. "I was a little worried and surprised when I saw the fractions. She was going so easily up front it was hard to believe she was going so fast."
The time was 1.09.99 for the six furlongs.
It was the second Sorority win for the team of owners George and Lori Hall and Breen. They took the 2005 renewal with Keeneland Kat.
Truth and Justice could take them to the Breeders' Cup. She already has synthetic-track experience, having finished fourth in the My Dear Stakes at Woodbine.
"The only question would be the distance," Breen said of the BC Juvenile Fillies, a 1 1/16-mile race at Santa Anita on Nov. 6. "It's certainly a possibility."