Smith Looks to Continue Historic BC Run

DEL MAR, CA–With 25 Breeders' Cup victories to his credit, Mike Smith is the winningest jockey in the history of the World Championships. His list of past winners includes some of the best horses to ever step foot on a racetrack, with five Hall of Famers and 10 champions, including Skip Away, Azeri, Inside Information, Lure, Zenyatta and Royal Delta.

When asked to name his best Breeders' Cup memory from such a long and prestigious list, Smith said, “I'd have to say two: when I won my first one [aboard Lure in the 1992 GI Breeders' Cup Mile] (video) and, of course, Zenyatta [in the 2009 GI Breeders' Cup Classic] (video). That was pretty incredible!”

Named on nine horses for this year's World Championships at Del Mar, the Hall of Fame pilot looks to continue his march into the Breeders' Cup history books.

“I feel great,” said Smith on the Del Mar apron Wednesday morning as several Breeders' Cup competitors were on track for their morning workouts. “I'm training well. I've been working out. If you can't get up for days like Breeders' Cup, you're dead.”

Smith has won Breeders' Cup races at tracks across the country from Belmont to Churchill Downs to Santa Anita and he looks forward to riding in the first World Championships at Del Mar.

“We are so excited about it,” Smith said. “It is a deserving place. This is one of the greatest venues there is. It is just like a hidden little gem. People know about it, but they've really never been here. A lot of times in the summer people go to Saratoga, but this place is just incredible. I am excited about having it here and hopefully this is the first of many.”

Smith has three mounts on Friday's Breeders' Cup card, starting with the Mike Stidham-trained Moon Dash (Malibu Moon) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and followed by GI Metropolitan H. hero Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) (video) in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

“After winning the Met Mile, he just kind of tailed off a little bit,” Smith said. “He shipped into Oaklawn, then Texas, then [New York]. I think it kind of knocked him back, but he is finally starting to come around and train good. I am interested to see how he is going to do, to be honest with you. He is finally doing well and I know what he is capable of. If he runs his Met Mile race, he has a huge chance.”

Smith is also the regular rider of Abel Tasman (Quality Road), who looks to cement her status as the top 3-year-old filly in the country in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. Seemingly unstoppable after reeling off a trio of impressive victories in the GI Kentucky Oaks (video), GI Acorn S. and GI Coaching Club American Oaks, the Bob Baffert pupil did not bring her “A” game last time at Parx, finishing second to the reopposing It Tiz Well (Arch) in the GI Cotillion S. Sept. 23.

“Throw her last race out really,” Smith said. “It was a second and it certainly wasn't a bad race, but it wasn't her best. She is going to have to run better than that to have a chance [Friday]. Saying that, she is also training really, really well. I am excited about her. She is training better now than she has since I started getting on her.”

In last year's Distaff, Smith partook in a stretch battle that will be talked about for years to come. Smith and two-time champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro), who was unbeaten at the time, went stride-for-stride with fellow Hall of Famer Gary Stevens and four-time Eclipse winner Beholder (Henny Hughes), with the latter scoring a narrow victory in the tightest of photo finishes (video).

“That was quite the race, but I came down on the wrong end,” Smith said. “It will probably go down as one of the greatest Distaffs of all time. I'd put it up there with Personal Ensign (1988) and Lady Secret (1986).”

The first of Smith's six mounts Saturday is GI Frizette S. runner-up Caledonia Road (Quality Road) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, who he will be riding for the first time. It will also be his first time riding his two turf contenders, Peruvian import and G1SW Birdie Gold (Birdstone), who will race in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf, and GI Breeders' Cup Mile runner Home of the Brave (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), a two-time a Group 3 winner in Europe.

“I don't know much about them, to be honest with you,” Smith said. “I know they are nice horses or they wouldn't be here. I have done very well with the Euro horses, the few that I have gotten to ride in the Breeders' Cup. They all seem to run well. I think I am two-for-two on them [1994 BC Turf with Tikkanen and 2013 Juvenile Turf with Outstrip (GB)]. I have done very, very good on them, so hopefully this will carry over.”

The veteran pilot will be aboard the favorites in both the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint and the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint. In the Sprint, he will ride defending champion and “TDN Rising Star” Drefong (Gio Ponti), who enters off a dominant victory in Saratoga's GI Forego S. Aug. 26 (video). Smith hopes they have better luck Saturday than they did on their last trip to Del Mar when Drefong veered left after being bumped at the break, dumping Smith in the GI Bing Crosby S. July 29.

“He drew the two-hole again, which is kind of ironic,” the 52-year-old said. “It is a little bit scary, but what a lot of people don't realize is he got bumped before the gap. If you got back and look at the head one, that horse hit him and it kind of pushed him that way. I don't think he was even thinking about it until that happened.”

“TDN Rising Star” Unique Bella (Tapit) prepped for the F/M Sprint with a powerful performance in the GIII L.A. Woman S. Oct. 8 off a seven-month layoff (video). The gray kicked off this season with dominant victories in the GII Santa Ynez S., GII Las Virgenes S. and GIII Santa Ysabel S.

“She is doing well,” Smith said. “She has only had one race since her long layoff, but she ran very well, is training very well and is extremely talented.”

Smith's final mount of the day Saturday is aboard North America's richest racehorse and champion Arrogate (Unbridled's Song), who will attempt to defend his title in one of the most highly-anticipated renewals of the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Defeating Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in last year's Classic (video) on the back of a record-setting victory in the GI Travers S., the “TDN Rising Star” dominated the $12 million GI Pegasus World Cup and scored a seemingly impossible victory in the G1 Dubai World Cup in March (video).

The gray has not been quite the same since returning from Dubai, however, finishing fourth as the favorite in the GII San Diego H. July 22 and second to stablemate and fellow Classic competitor Collected (City Zip) in the GI Pacific Classic last time at Del Mar Aug. 19.

“This is what it's all about,” Smith said. “There is always going to be someone who has a doubt or reason why they are going to win. With that said, I wouldn't trade places with anyone. I really wouldn't. I think he is back to the old Arrogate. He is certainly training like it. His energy level is high and we are excited. We can't wait.”

Arrogate drew the rail for the Classic and was made the second-choice on the morning-line behind MGISW Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), who Arrogate has defeated in both of their prior meetings in the Travers and Dubai World Cup.

“He was in the one-hole in the Travers and he ran the fastest Travers ever,” Smith said. “He came back in the one-hole in the Pegasus and everyone was like, 'Ughhhh, he drew the one-hole. It is such a short run into the first turn.' But, he was brilliant out of it. I am hoping the third time is even better.”

Saturday will be the last time Smith will swing his leg over Arrogate's back as the international superstar is scheduled to retire to Juddmonte following the Classic.

When asked if it would be bittersweet, Smith said, “Certainly, but right not I am just thinking about the job I have to do. I need to do my job and he needs to do. If we both do our jobs, I know what kind of talent he is, we may see something very special.”