Im Smokin Stakes- $150.000 Purse
DMR- Two Years Old Foaled in CA
Six Furlongs on the Dirt
September 4, 2015

About a month ago, Copper Beast unleashed a work at PRX which at the time was the 5th quickest work at six furlongs by a two-year old.  Many were impressed by that work, but he still needed to show he can carry that to the race track.  After an ownership merry-go-round in May, Copper Beast found his way into the barn of a trainer who knows a thing or two about getting all he can out of his horses.  Under the guidance of Australia Wide, he won his debut at RUI but we were left wanting much more.   The trainer brought his Beast to DMR for the Im Smokin, and it turned in to be a very good race.  Crossing the line first was this Copper Bottom colt, who made his former BC Juvenile winning sire proud with how he is doing as a two year old today.  Australia Wide adds his first Im Smokin trophy to his enormous overall collection, and A O Solis wins his second such race, but first in eleven years.  Congratulations to the winners! Let’s take a deeper look at it!

1st- 4- Copper Beast (6/5)- The eventual winner from Australia Wide got off to a good start, and was content to stalk the pacesetting Mr Buffalo, trailing him by about a length and a half as they made their way into the turn.  During the turn, he still seemed content to stand his ground in the second position, even when the two behind him starting closing in.  He would not move away from the rail, and used it to gradually reel in Mr Buffalo, as well as to hold off those who were looking to come from behind.   Copper Beast only emerged with the leader very late in this run, but it was just in time for sure!   The time of the victory was 1:09.30, which most definitely is a new record for the stake. Copper Beast is a two year old by the 2011 BC Juvenile Champion Copper Bottom and out of Strong Showing (by Eviction Notice).    He was bred in California by Team 7 Illusions, and after a couple of ownership changes, found his way to Australia Wide.  Congratulations to all of the connections!

2nd- 1 (dh)- Ghost Star (2/1)- The Lemax Farms entry was not too interested in running with the leaders as he opted to trail the field, leaving about four lengths between he and the 4th place Cool Operator through the backstretch.  In the turn, he made up some ground, and had an explosive move exiting the turn to signal his intentions to come from behind and win.  With this move, Ghost Star ran very well, but those in front of them were not necessarily making it easy.  In the end, he gets up to force a dead heat while running in the fifth lane for much of the stretch.  Plenty for this trainer to be excited about.

2nd- 3 (dh)- Cool Operator (5/2)- It was an average start for the Mb Stables entry, content to run in a midpack position about three lengths off the lead.   In the turn, he looked to make a move at about the same time Hard Slider would, but Cool Operator has more power in his stride.  On exit of the turn, he looked to be in a pretty good spot.  Ran gamely during the stretch and had a good shot at the win until very late.  Unfortunately for the trainer, he was caught in the final stride by Ghost Star to force a dead heat.

4th- 5- Mr Buffalo (22/1)- Best of them all out of the gate for D J C Racing Stables, leading for the entire backstretch run, setting the opening quarter in a :22.83.   He would handle the turn quite well as he ran the half in :45.53 still with a length advantage as they hit the top of the stretch.  With a furlong to go, he still seemed to be in pretty good shape.  But then, with just half a furlong left, he looked to pack it in just ever so slightly.

5th- 2- Hard Slider (7/1)- Began the race being content to run in a midpack position for his trainer, Barcelona Farms.  Looked to make a move to the outside of Copper Beast in the turn.  However, he was unable to make it stick.  In this race, there was no one who performed badly, and he still had some fight to the end, just not as much as the others.

Track: Fast
Time: :22⁴  :45²  :57   1:09¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 1 Paid 3.60, 4 – 3 Paid 2.80
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 1 – 3 Paid 10.80, 4 – 3 – 1 Paid 5.10

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Ungraded