Be Smart Is Just Beginning
Smarty Jones' Daughter Couldn't Catch the Comet Named Stardom Bound
Nov 19, 2008
In 2004, Smarty Jones was all the rage in the Thoroughbred world. A highly touted gray that year was Tapit, who won the Wood Memorial, while Smarty went to the winner's circle in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. This season, their daughters, Be Smart and Stardom Bound, hooked up in the 25th running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships Juvenile Fillies contest October 24 at Santa Anita.
The race proved one thing for certain: Stardom Bound is stratospheric star status material, while Be Smart is just beginning her education.
Smarty's Daughter Not Chip Yet
In Thoroughbred racing, bloodlines flow throughout history, producing winners from winners long after winners are retired, or pensioned, or deceased. Time has yet to tell whether the progeny of the fabulously determined runner Smarty Jones will favor their father with pounding triumphs reminiscent of his own.
Smarty's former foes have already surpassed him in progeny stakes winners. The Cliff's Edge, Kentucky Derby favorite of 2004, Tapit, Lion Heart, who twice ran second to Smarty in the Classics, and Birdstone, the little bird that chirped Smarty out of a Triple Crown title in the Belmont Stakes, all had first stakes winners this season.
Be Smart finished 12th in a field of 13 in the BC Juvenile Fillies. Next year likely will tell if she's to become a chip off the old hoof.
Paasch Posh On Stardom Bound
When trainer Christopher Paasch watches Stardom Bound run, he finds himself still catching his breath at every performance. "It's always easy to spot class," Paasch said in an October interview with The Blood-Horse magazine (November 1, 2008/No.44, pages 5419-5422).
Stardom Bound proved a quick study. She lost her first two races by a nose and a length, both times coming from well back. Since then, she's raced to the wire convincingly first three times, including the BC Juvenile Fillies, while still using a charging come from behind style.
Complete Order of Finish 2008 BC Juvenile Fillies
The complete order of finish in the BC Juvenile Filles, along with the pedigrees, jockeys, and 2008 race records of the entrants, follows:
- Stardom Bound ----- 4:2-2-0 ----- Tapit--My White Corvette, by Tarr Road ----- M. Smith
- Dream Express ----- 3:2-0-0 ----- Bernstein--Chinese Empress, by Nijinsky II ----- K. Desormeaux
- Sky Diva ----- 2:2-0-0 ----- Sky Mesa--Swift Girl, by Unbridled ----- R. Dominguez
- Dave's Revenge ----- 1:1-0-0 ----- The Cliff's Edge--Midnite Deelite, by Afternoon Deelites ----- J. Rosario
- Persistently ----- 4:1-2-1 ----- Smoke Glacken--Just Reward, by Deputy Minister ----- A. Garcia
- Van Lear Rose ----- 5:2-2-0 ----- Stroll--Devaluation, by Conquistador Cielo ----- C. Sutherland
- C. S. Silk ----- 3:2-0-1 ----- Medaglia d'Oro--Remember the Day, by Settlement Day ----- R. Albarado
- Black Magic Mama ----- 2:0-0-0 ----- Black Mambo--Our Dear Helen, by Bates Motel ----- R. Bejarano
- Evita Argentina ----- 3:2-0-0 ----- Candy Ride (ARG)--Jealous Wildcat, by Forest Wildcat ----- A. Solis
- Doremifasollatido ----- 4:2-2-0 ----- Bernstein--Consider It Done, by Green Dancer ----- E. Coa
- Pursuit of Glory (IRE) ----- 3:1-0-1 ----- Fusaichi Pegasus--Sophisticat, Storm Cat ----- J. Murtagh
- Be Smart ----- 2:1-1-0 ----- Smarty Jones--Eishin Bridle, by Unbridled ----- G. Gomez
- Palacio de Amor ----- 4:1-2-0 ----- Dixieland Band--Haitian Vacation, by Petionville ----- V. Espinoza
BC Juvenile Fillies History
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies contest previous to this year has resulted in 21 of its 24 winners being voted Eclipse Award Two-Year-Old Female Champion. No other BC race has equaled that statistic.
