By Alan Carasso
Having been represented by a pair of new graded stakes scorers on Breeders' Cup Saturday, Claiborne Farm's War Front picked up yet another when the impeccably bred Smokin' T ran out a good-looking winner of the $300,000 GIII River City S. beneath the Saturday night lights at Churchill Downs.
The sometimes difficult-to-handle 4-year-old colt was outsprinted and settled in centerfield through the early exchanges, as Dominican Pioneer (Pioneerof the Nile) ensured that the nine-furlong event would be run at a genuine tempo. Stitched (Mizzen Mast), winner of the relocated GII Wise Dan S. over the summer, did his part to keep the pacesetter honest and John Velazquez aboard the 4-1 Smokin' T would have been plenty pleased with what was happening on the business end of things, as he settled his charge three deep with cover on the back of Injunction (Skipshot) down the backstretch. Angled out on the turn, just beating Harlan Estate (Kantharos) to a spot, Smokin T' swung out wide for the drive and had dead aim on the leaders, surged to the front inside the eighth pole and sailed clear as Harlan Estate and Siege of Boston (War Front) finished with gusto to fill the minor placings.
Smokin' T picked up his first win of 2023 in a second-level allowance going a mile here May 5 with Velazquez at the controls and was a narrowly beaten second in the May 27 Cliff Hanger S. at Monmouth ahead of a maiden black-type success in the Aug. 5 Lure S. at Saratoga. The bay couldn't quite seal the deal when defeated a half-length into third in the GIII Mint Millions S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 2 and backed up on two weeks' rest, but was no better than third in the GIII BWI Turf Cup at Pimlico.
“He's always been a bit headstrong in the early part of his races. I think he did a better job relaxing today and not wasting as much energy,” assistant trainer Reeve McGaughey said. “We thought this distance would suit him better. It was also nice to see him finish well once he got in front. At Kentucky Downs two starts ago he sort of hung a little bit. He's had a solid year and likes this track here at Churchill.”
Pedigree Notes:
It has been another rock-solid season for the now 21-year-old War Front, whose sons Seal Team (GB) (GII Twilight Derby) and War at Sea (GIII Golden Gate H.) added to his tally last weekend. Overall, War Front is the sire of a dozen stakes winners in 2023, nine of which have come at the graded-stakes level. He is now responsible for 66 GSWs worldwide.
Wine Princess was campaigned by Becky Winemiller, who gave $475,000 for the daughter of Horse of the Year Azeri at the 2010 Keeneland September Sale. Trained by Steve Margolis, Wine Princess amassed a record of 5-5-1 from 13 starts including a win in the 2012 GIII Monmouth Oaks before closing her career with a defeat of that year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff runner-up Don't Tell Sophia (Congaree) in this track's GII Falls City H. She was also third in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Wine Princess, a half-sister to Japanese MGSP Leukerbad (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the latter's GSP full-brother Shirvanshah (Jpn) and GSP Arienza (Giant's Causeway), was purchased by DATTT Farm LLC for $3 million at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, tied for the second-priciest offering behind GI Kentucky Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar (Majestic Warrior).
Also a 19th GSW produced by a daughter of Ghostzapper, Smokin' T has a yearling half-brother by Authentic that was purchased by Whitehorse Stables for $450,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga this summer and a weanling half-brother by Charlatan.
Saturday, Churchill Downs
RIVER CITY S.-GIII, $289,858, Churchill Downs, 11-11, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:50.66, gd.
1–SMOKIN' T, 121, c, 4, by War Front
1st Dam: Wine Princess (MGSW & GISP, $461,561), by Ghostzapper
2nd Dam: Azeri, by Jade Hunter
3rd Dam: Zodiac Miss (Aus), by Ahonoora (GB)
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($295,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O/B-Dattt Farm LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III; J-John R.
Velazquez. $174,150. Lifetime Record: 18-5-1-6, $700,460.
Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Harlan Estate, 121, g, 5, Kantharos–Archerette, by Arch.
($39,000 RNA Ylg '19 FTKJUL; $90,000 2yo '20 OBSMAR;
$150,000 4yo '22 KEENOV). O-Graham Grace Stable; B-Tall
Oaks Farm (ON); T-D. Whitworth Beckman. $46,500.
3–Siege of Boston, 121, c, 4, War Front–Peinture Rare (Ire), by
Sadler's Wells. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Joseph Allen LLC;
B-Joseph Allen, LLC & White Birch Farm, Inc. (KY); T-James J.
Toner. $28,250.
Margins: 1 3/4, NK, 3/4. Odds: 4.27, 15.05, 5.70.
Also Ran: Grand Sonata, Dominican Pioneer, Injunction, Rockemperor (Ire), Red Run, Kitodan, F Five, Cellist, Stitched. Scratched: Accredit, Beatbox, Street Ready. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
🚨 GSW #66 FOR WAR FRONT 🚨
Smokin' T (4yo colt by WAR FRONT) flies home to take the G3 River City Stakes going 9 furlongs on the grass @ChurchillDowns.
Congratulations to owner/breeder DATTT Stable, trainer Shug McGaughey, and jockey @ljlmvel! https://t.co/TfoBLOIZYW
— Claiborne Farm (@claibornefarm) November 11, 2023
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