The Smart N Fancy- $150.000 Purse
SAR- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
Five and a Half Furlongs on the Turf
August 20, 2022

Saturday is Alabama Day at SAR, and there will be several exciting races on the undercard for us to enjoy as well. One of those is The Smart N Fancy, which may not have a graded designation, but still offers a $150.000 purse (the highest ever offered by this race) that promises to attract a good field. That part does not disappoint as a strong field of eight will go to post. This race first appeared on the schedule in 2014 for $100.000, and three year olds were allowed to participate as well. In 2020, only older horses were allowed in. The 2021 version was won by Angelos Stable with Eskimo Kisses. While not glamourous, that now five year old mare continues to be productive running at this type of level. When looking at this field, one thing that really jumped out of me is the amount of horses who have done an incredible job of consistently hitting the board, or at least finishing in the top four throughout their careers. Due to that, I think we are in for an exceptionally competitive race. Here are those looking to prevail against good company!

#1- Big City Kitty (Our Athletes, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Making her 28th start, and for the majority of her career, she has been very consistent in terms of finishing somewhere in the top four. She has not placed out of a check earning position for fourteen starts, or since August 2020. Running well of late, too, with four victories in her last seven starts, but despite many close calls at the stake level, she’s still looking her first win in one.

#2- Ms Joyce (RNP Stables, ridden by M Franco)- She has won more money in her career than anyone, approaching $1,200.000 in total. Had back to back to graded wins in May and June that were actually only eleven days apart. The trainer brought her back just seventeen days after that, and it was a disaster. I’ve often noticed that it’s that third race after two close ones back to back that can give a horse trouble, so now that she has had a couple months to recover, I can throw it out. Just hope it didn’t hurt her, long term.

#3- Calamity Jean (Angelos Stable, ridden by R M Hernandez)- Here’s another horse that is typically productive with finishing somewhere in the top four. In 2022, she’s won twice in her six starts, including the $75.000 Wishing Well at SA in February. Won a starter allowance two races ago, but will no longer be eligible for that condition as her last claiming was almost exactly a year ago, a race she won right here at the Spa.

#4- Point Of Honor (High Voltage, ridden by A Cedillo)- Back when Calamity Jean won the Wishing Well back in February, she had to share the winner’s circle with Point Of Honor. For this filly, it was one of her two victories this year, coming in four starts. She’s spent most of her career running in this type of race, a Grade 3 or a quality ungraded stake, and seems to be a lot better when sprinting as opposed to trying to go long.

#5- Marner (Mb Stables, ridden by L Saez)- This filly was aggressively placed in the Grade 1 Diana for her last start, and like the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs, she was not a factor. Marner has won four of seven since being picked up by Mb Stables, so that’s an advantage she has on her human namesake. She’s only run long since the sale, but was decent in sprints before hand. Put forth a beautiful work at MTH coming into this.

#6- Crack Eyes (Gdp Inc., ridden by J C Ferrer)- Another good one from this barn out of Safecracker, she’s been able to pick up three wins in nine starts so far. She’s another consistent and reliable type, but does not have the one win that you look at and point to as her signature victory. Was a solid second to Your Worst Nightmare in her last start, the $150.000 Chicken Fried Stakes. Calamity Jean was also there.

#7- Your Worst Nightmare (London Racing, ridden by E J Wilson)- Speaking of Your Worst Nightmare, here she is right next to the one she beat by a length in the Chicken Fried Stakes. It was the stake debut for this filly, and it also turned into her second straight win and three out of four. Since being claimed for $5.000 by London Racing, she’s won 4 of 8. Going back further, she has hit the board in twelve straight making her yet another one of those reliable runners in this field. (Something’s gonna have to give somewhere here!).

#8- The Great Enabler (John Henry, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Picked up in private sales for $35.000 last June, and has gone on to win twice in eight starts. Like many in this field, she does a good job hitting the board, though her last three paychecks have come after a third place finish. The Grade 2 Eatontown Stakes at MTH is the only stake in those three races. Has gone back and forth between sprinting and going long, but all of her career wins are running less than a mile.

This is a tough race to predict, because there isn’t a single horse in this field that I can’t see winning this race. (Yes, that can be a cliche in our game sometimes, but it’s especially the case with this race).

Prediction: 4-5-1-6

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded