Willy Boi gets first graded stakes win in Smile Sprint Invitational
Willy Boi continued his fast track up the ranks of the sprint division since joining trainer Jorge Delgado’s barn for his 4-year-old campaign when he became a graded stakes winner for the first time with a one-length victory over the 22-1 Pudding in Saturday’s $100,000 Smile Sprint Invitational at Gulfstream Park.
Numbering among his victims was the Grade 1 winner Drain the Clock, who finished a disappointing fourth following a bit of an unlucky start.
Willy Boi, who finished fourth after contesting the early pace in the 2021 Smile, has won all three starts under Delgado’s tutelage. The Grade 3 Smile added to his two previous, one-sided victories earlier this season, which included a 5 1/4-length triumph in the seven-furlong Big Drama Stakes in his previous outing.
With regular rider Chantal Sutherland aboard, Willy Boi rated off a contested early pace that included Drain the Clock, who came away last after having his head turned at the break. Drain the Clock won the early battle, but was quickly engaged by Willy Boi rallying wide approaching the stretch and proved no match once settling for the drive. Willy Boi readily edged well clear leaving the furlong grounds before holding safe a belated bid by the wide-running Pudding.
Absolute Grit finished third, another 3 1/4 lengths behind Pudding, followed by the tiring Drain the Clock, Gatsby, and Yes I’m a Beast.
Willy Boi, a son of Uncaptured owned by Lea Farms LLC, completed six furlongs over a fast track that appeared to have an outside flow to it for much of the day, in 1:09.71 seconds and paid $3.80.
In addition to the regular purse, Willy Boi also earned a $50,000 “win only” bonus for Florida-breds competing in the Smile as well as $30,000 credit toward entry fees if he runs in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint later this year.
“I’m so grateful that Lea Farms gave me the chance to train these kind of horses,” said Delgado, who notched the first graded-stakes success in the May 21 Chic Lang (G3) at Pimlico with Lea Farms LLC’s Lightening Larry and who sent out the promising 2-year-old Super Chow for the same owners to win his debut in impressive fashion in Saturday’s opening race.
Delgado has no definite plans for Willy Boi’s next start, although he did say the ultimate goal now is the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland on Nov. 5.
Sutherland said she used the prevailing track bias to her advantage in the Smile.
“We broke a little slow, but the track has been playing a little for closers from off the pace and not holding speed as well, so it kind of worked in our favor,” Sutherland noted.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. offered little excuse for Drain the Clock’s performance.
“He got beat up. It was one of those days,” Joseph said. “Not much to say. Don’t know why he ran like that. I don’t really have an excuse.”