Smooth Air
 

everyone was so far out of the picture I don't really know how much work Smooth Air had to do to get place. He reminded me of Monarchos in the Wood...

Front runner has the race easily won and all he can do is show up for place.

Does anyone know of the connections want to go to the Ky Derby?

A friend of mine owns him. We spoke a couple of weeks ago, nothing specific though on yes, no, go, don't go, etc. He and his family have been in the game a long time (in various ways) and they play the game at a pretty good level. Not that any of that means anything though, LOL.

I actually have some ongoing business with him and will probably be talking to him in the next few days (if he's back). I hate being one of the "what are you going to do" people as there are tons of them. But, I am sure the topic will come up.

Eric

he is a nice horse. He wouldn't be completely misplaced in a race like the Derby. There are also some races that he could be out winning right now. Not really similar horses, but Imawildandcrazyguy was a bit like that last year, in the respect that he could have been winning some races but he danced a few big dances. Even got a 4th in the Derby. Who can argue? The Florida Derby worked out well for Smooth Air. A 2nd in the FL derby is better than probably all the races he could have won.

Tell them congrats on the FL Derby placing, they have a terrific horse, and this fan hopes they run in the Derby and have a ball doing it! I think the horse could earn some money there.

Wing, you can watch the replay on Bloodhorse TCM page - he made a long, sweeping, steady move around nearly all the turn, and closed pretty strongly against the winner. He did look to me like he had his eyes on the winner and wanted to run him down. Owners should be awfully proud.

i bet him today . thought 18-1 was a steal. but i was too stupid to use big brown. paid dearly for missing exacta. the horse can run but that favorite was a freak today.

First, they are going.

Bennie Stutts told me in the paddock they would only go if he was 1-2-3. It is a lifetime dream fulfilled for this 70 year old. The job Stutts did preparing this colt was masterful. All the pedigree dopes can chew on this effort for a good long while as they are again shown up as a pack of frauds perpetuating nonsense.

Manny Cruz was thrilled and told me walking back that he saw at about the 3/8ths Big Brown wasn't going to come back to him, so he rode out strictly to hold 2nd. He was immediately worried about being taken off Smooth Air by a high profile rider, but Stutts asked him, "You'll come with us to Kentucky, won't you jock?"...

It was a very fun scene to be around.

As for owner Brian Burns, he couldn't be at the race. I guess no one listened to ATR Friday, because he was on the show with me again. His brother is in grave condition with cancer and Burns is spending all his time with him. This performance undoubtedly raised everyone's spirit.

Secondly, I don't know how or why anyone would go out of their way to try to diminish this game colt's effort from Saturday. He was the only horse other than the winnr that did any real running. He's not much to look at, but as Stutts said after the race to Cruz, "He's a professional racehorse.. You're a professional jock.. and I'm a professional trainer.."

Smooth Air is the '08 Derby 'feel good' story.. And Stutts, the ultimate old school trainer, may have one more trick up his sleeve yet..

Thanks Steve, great job cappin yesterday

did I diminish what Smooth Air did? My biggest bet of the day was on him. Was pleased with the effort and payoff.

Great to hear the news that they're going on, this is a type of horse to root for not only because of the connections, but how hard he tries each race. He'll figure in my wagers the "first Saturday in May".

You certainly have to give him credit for running a nice race yesterday, and I absolutely can't blame his connections for taking a shot at the Kentucky Derby with him. As Steve said, Stutts deserves credit for doing a nice job with this colt.
But....I still think at this point that this colt will end up being a better one-turn horse than a two-turn one, and I don't see how a stretch out to 10f will benefit him in any way. Because of that, he doesn't strike me as a particularly strong Kentucky Derby contender, but he is certainly a hard-trying, easy-to-root-for, kind of horse.

All that being said of course, I sure wouldn't mind having a pool 2 future wager on this colt, where he finished at 159/1.

i did.......:D

Heh, heh, heh... ;)

after a talk with you were we said i dont see why not..:cool:

I can see where someone would take my comment about him being out of it early to where you couldn't see him.

My fault. I need new glasses

he was doing well

I started this thread because I think he merits mention

Everyone has been waiting for some quality efforts, and when there is one, there's always a bizarre eagerness to trivialize it. Didn't this come up last week? Does every horse that is 2nd to an impressive winner have to be a suck up?

And if Big Brown had stopped in the stretch per chance? Then it would be that Smooth Air was a 'perfect trip' winner of course. And he didn't ride the rail if you watch the head on. Was in amongst horses through halfway down the backstretch when he commenced his rally.

In a class of horses that are largely uninteresting, absent of talent or associated with repulsive connections, Smooth Air is refreshing and highly appealing. While I work to remain impartial as often as I can, I'm entitled to fan up to a horse occasionally...

He was 7 lengths clear of the next horse and the choices of 45 out of 55 people on his board. Not too shabby!

Spyder