Smile Sprint Handicap (Grade 3)- $250.000 Purse
GP- For Three Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs on the Dirt
June 30, 2018

For most of his early days, Scouting Force wasn’t thought of highly by the people that owned him. 2018 has seen him be claimed three times, once for $10.000, and then twice for $12.500. The final time that he was claimed, he ended up with Gdp Inc, who saw far more in him then just a claimer. Just two and a half weeks after that claim, he was in a $50.000 ungraded stake. The Governors Stakes may lack prestige, but it was far greater then the races he was competing in before. Scouting Force stepped up, and won the race. Gdp’s faith was rewarded, and it led to this, the Smile Sprint Handicap. Now, this too, ends up in a win. The 2018 Smile Sprint Handicap is a story of a horse that was given up on, and of a trainer that believed in him. Congratulations to Gdp Inc on not only the win, but the achievement of taking this horse to the next level. It is his first win in the stake, and the same is true for jockey A A Gallardo. The time of the win was 1:08.93, second quickest of the four editions of the race held at GP. Let’s take a look!

(1/4 Mile- :22.52)- Tourist breaks quickly out of the gate for D J C Racing Stables, but it will be Jason Bourne, from Maxmillion Farm, assuming the early lead down the backstretch and moving into the turn. In the third lane, Tourist is a length back. Behind him, another length out of it is a pretty good cluster of horses. Running four wide, we had Proud And Positive, from Winning Link Stables, Oversell It, from Team 7 Illusions, and El Gran Black from Mb Stables. In the outer lane of that group was our eventual winner Scouting Force, from Gdp Inc. He had three lengths to make up at this time. In close pursuit of that foursome was Top Hero (Aer Stables), and even the two trailers, Dependable (Mb Stables) and No Waiting (Mb Stables) were within five lengths.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Jason Bourne continued to carry the lead around the turn and still had a length advantage at the top of the stretch, but he had some challenges looming. El Gran Black was looking pretty good here, steadily advancing, and drawing level with Tourist. Oversell It was following this move, and was less then a length behind him. He would have a pretty good lane to use in the stretch as well. On the outside, Scouting Force was still fifth, and was five wide. He still had two and a half lengths to make up. Right behind him, a move looked to be coming from No Waiting as well. Dependable was struggling to find room, while Proud And Positive looked to be coming up empty. Top Hero was right smack in the middle of the back, but a lane was starting to open up for him now if the wanted to take it.

(Finish- 1:08.93)- With a furlong to go, Scouting Force had an additional gear that no one else in the field had, and proved to everyone that he was no longer a $12.500 claimer. It was a tight finish, that required heart and desire, and Scouting Force was up to the task. He holds off Oversell It, from the barn that passed him off in $10.000 claimer earlier this year, as well as the charging No Waiting. It was very close behind that, with Top Hero and Tourist being in a dead heat for fourth, ahead of El Gran Black, who looked like he was going to do more in the stretch. Jason Bourne dropped to seventh, defeating only Dependable and Proud And Positive.

About The Winner- Scouting Force, trained by Gdp Inc, and ridden to victory by A A Gallardo, is a four year old gelding by Gsin, and is out of the late Belle Orange. He was bred in California by Team 7 Illusions as a third quarter two year old, and acquired by the trainer, via RNP Stables in a $12.500 claiming race on May 15th of this year. It is his second stake win, and first graded win, both coming in his two starts after that claim. His career earnings are now $244.030.

Track: Fast
Time: :22²  :45   :56⁴  1:08⁴

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 10 – 2 Paid 33.30
$1 Trifecta: 10 – 2 – 8 Paid 94.10

Scratched: Cherry Vodka

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES