Tanzanite Strikes in the Smarty Jones S.
SMARTY JONES S., $150,000, OPX, 1-20, 3yo, 1m, 1:38 3/5, ft.
1–#TANZANITE CAT, 115, c, 3, by Graeme Hall
1st Dam: Gentle Wave, by Mt. Livermore
2nd Dam: Waviness, by Copelan
3rd Dam: Wavy Waves, by Crozier
($4,500 RNA wlng ’11 OBSOCT; $9,000 yrl ’12
OBSAUG; $150,000 2yo ‘13 OBSAPR). O-James L
Driver & H Ywachetta; B-Charles H Deters & Dr John
Peterson (FL); T-Cody Autrey; J-Norberto Arroyo Jr.
$90,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $123,000. *1/2
to Hip Four Sixtynine (Southern Image), SW,
$142,777.
2–Walt, 115, c, 3, Run Away and Hide–Miracle Mile,
by Silver Deputy. ($22,000 yrl ’12 KEEJAN; $25,000
yrl ’12 KEESEP; $72,000 2yo ‘13 OBSAPR). O-Black
Hawk Stable (James Rogers); B-Ronald Kirk, Greg
McDonald & John Ba (KY); T-Chris A Hartman.
$30,000.
3–Coastline, 117, c, 3, Speightstown–Culinary, by El
Amante. ($190,000 yrl ’12 KEESEP). O-John C
Oxley; B-DATTT Farm LLC (KY); T-Mark E Casse.
$15,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 9.10, 5.90, 1.20.
Also Ran: Son of a Preacher, Fire Starter, A Step Ahead, Unstoppable Colby, Denali Rahy Ruler, D’cajun Cat, Whyruawesome.
Tanzanite Cat weakened to third as the favorite going 5 1/2 panels at Del Mar Aug. 3, but was much improved next time out when he graduated by four lengths in gate-to-wire fashion in a rained-off Fair Grounds affair. Overlooked here, the 9-1 shot was away well and set the early pace. He was comfortable to sit in second as Walt rushed up the rail to overtake the lead on the backstretch. The bay rebid at the top of the lane and the pair battled down the stretch. Walt lugged in and lost his position in the final furlong and Tanzanite Cat was able to inch clear. “After his race at the Fair Grounds, he started getting real aggressive in his training,” explained winning trainer Cody Autrey. “He’s been working with [recent maiden winner] Paganol (Tiz Wonderful) and we think really highly of that horse. He’s a fighter. I knew he’d get a mile, but I’m not sure how much farther he can go. That’s a good problem to have this time of year. We’re pointing Paganol to the Southwest and I’ll to talk to [owner] Mr. [James] Driver about what’s next for him.” Click for the brisnet.com chart or VIDEO.