TDN RISING STARS

December 6, 2014 - Gulfstream Park, Race 2, Msw, USD $40,000, 1 1/16M

Smokem Kitten, c, 2, 2012 by Kitten's Joy

1st Dam: Holly Smoke, by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: I'm a Slick Chick, by Devil's Bag
3rd Dam: Copious, by In Reality

Owner: Kenneth L & Sarah K Ramsey
Breeder: Kenneth L & Sarah K Ramsey (KY)
Trainer: Michael J Maker

Smokem Kitten, off at odds of 7-1, overcame a very wide draw to win impressively at first asking going two turns over the Gulfstream lawn on the opening day card. The blinkered gray broke alertly from post 12 and cleared the field while racing under his own restraint heading into the clubhouse turn. Uncontested through easy early fractions of :24.15 and :49.43, Smokem Kitten began to edge clear entering the far turn. With Edgar Prado at the controls, the long-striding Ramsey homebred opened daylight in the stretch, and switched over to his left lead while being geared down late to graduate by 5 1/2 lengths. Call Me Crazy (Lemon Drop Kid) was second at odds of 30-1. The unraced mare Holly Smoke was a $300,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by trainer Todd Pletcher as agent. The Ramseys purchased her for $140,000 while in foal to Came Home two years later at the 2005 KEENOV sale. After RNA'ing for just $19,000 while in foal to Kitten's Joy at the 2011 KEEJAN sale, she brought $11,500 from Ed Price, agent, on a Talent Search cover at the 2013 KEENOV sale. Smokem Kitten, however, is listed as her final produce. The winner's second dam I'm a Slick Chick is half-sister to GIII Lafayette S. winner and GII Coolmore Lexington S. runner-up Griffinite (Unbridled's Song). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $21,600.