Afleet Alex Colt Runs to the Money in Smooth Air S.

SMOOTH AIR S., $75,000, CRC, 3-2, 3yo, 1m, 1:39 4/5, ft. 
1–#TASHIR, 118, c, 3, by Afleet Alex 
     1st Dam: Twin Induction, by Slewacide 
     2nd Dam: Nataliano, by Fappiano 
     3rd Dam: Take the Wonder, by Lyphard 
($24,000 yrl '12 FTKJUL). O-Vartan Vartanov; B-Peter E Blum Thoroughbreds LLC & Gerry Dilger 
(KY); T-Gennadi Dorochenko; J-Myrzabek Kappushev. $44,640. Lifetime Record: 8-3-1-1, $104,707. 
2–King Cyrus, 118, c, 3, Bellamy Road–Queen of Empire, by Empire Maker. ($70,000 yrl '12 KEESEP). 
O-WinStar Farm LLC. $14,400. 
3–Monopolize, 120, r, 3, Bernardini–Jaramar Rain, by Thunder Gulch. ($500,000 2yo '13 KEEAPR). 
O-Repole Stable. $7,200. 
Margins: 3HF, HF, 4. Odds: 1.70, 3.60, 4.80. 
   A distant and longshot second behind an impressive display from Pablo del Monte (Giant's Causeway) in a Keeneland allowance Oct. 13, Tashir was no factor in a two-turn test a week later and called it a season. The bay drilled his rivals going seven furlongs over this track by 9 1/2 lengths Jan. 17, but was exiting a distant sixth to Wildcat Red (D'wildcat) in the GII Hutcheson S. Feb. 1. Hammered down from his morning line of 6-1, Tashir was a half-step slow to start and was hustled to try to make the lead, but couldn't quite get there and settled in behind the pace into the first turn. He bided his time from that forward position, responded to his jockey's urgings and kicked it in down the stretch to score by open lengths. TDN Rising Star King Cyrus ran on well for second in his 3-year-old debut. Click for the brisnet.com chart or VIDEO.