The My Frenchman Stakes ($100.000 Purse)
MTH- For Three Year Olds
Five and a Half Furlongs on the Turf
July 13, 2025

At the start of the week, there was only one horse nominated for the My Frenchman Stakes. As we got closer to the cutoff for the race, more horses were entered, and we will have six going to post. However, as can happen with this situation, we are left with a field that is not particularly exciting to others outside of those that are participating. We’ll still look at it, but not as much time will be spent on it. 2024’s winner was All The Smoke, for Mb Stables. That one is still active but mainly participating in overnights now. Perhaps there is a future superstar here that will look back at The My Frenchman as the race that got their career rolling into bigger and better things. Here’s a look at those who’d love to say that:

1- Ill Be Around (Alydar Stables, ridden by I Castillo)- He’s been around, but only on the dirt up to this point. After breaking his maiden, he has only been stakes placed and has been in some top races like the DMR Futurity and the Champagne. However, outside of winning the Grade 3 Hope Stakes at DMR in November, he did not cash a check in anything else. Now, it’s time to change things up.

2- Smokin Access (Red Fox Farms, ridden by Sa Camacho)- Both he and Ill Be Around are the only horses in the field with more than $63.000 in earnings. See why this is not the most exciting of fields? Smokin Access has been in exciting races, and did win the Kittens Joy back in February. Outside of his debut race, he’s only run long, but he should be able to cut back on distance without a problem here. Seems like the one to beat in here.

3- Clear As Fog (Asgar, ridden by S Marin)- Last time out, which was just three weeks ago at WO, this gelding had a good looking fourth place effort in an allowance. While I think that is a great race for him to build off of, his races prior to that do not do much to create optimism. Had a tough time finding firm turf for several races, so that could be a very good excuse for him. We’ll see.

4- Razor Ruddock (Asgar, ridden by J L Gonzalez)- Like his stablemate, Razor Ruddock last ran in an allowance at WO three weeks ago, but they were not in the same race. Razor Ruddock competed against his age group and finished third in the race. His form before that is a lot more appealing than Clear As Fog, but they were all in maiden races. Looking to continue to move forward and gets a great opportunity here.

5- Smokin Commander (Red Fox Farms, ridden by A Concepcion)- The maiden enters the race to make sure that Smokin Access has a chance to show what he can do for this purse. For Smokin Commander, this is not the first time he has been put in a stake, and it is obviously not unprecedented for a maiden to win a stake. With this field, I absolutely would not rule it out since he didn’t look out of place two months ago in the $100.000 Cinema Stakes.

6- The Magic Dime (Asgar, ridden by J Barbosa)- Only has made four races thus far, and broke his maiden in his turf debut in April at WO, running a mile. He would stay north of the border to run in an allowance after that and was strong in a second-place outing. This race does fit him nicely, and I am not worried about it being a little shorter than the distances he has run for his last two.

Prediction: 2-6-4-3

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded