Smooth Air Wins Ohio Derby
Kentucky Derby Entrant Goes to 4-Length Thistledown Victory
Smooth Air accomplished marquee status May 31 by winning Ohio's only graded stakes, the Ohio Derby, following his 11th place finish in the Kentucky Derby.
A smooth win in the Ohio Derby by 4 lengths for Smooth Air came three weeks after his Kentucky Derby 11th place finish, his only off the board race, and put him back on the list of elite three-year-olds. The May 31 victory at Thistledown, Cleveland, was the colt's second triumph in a graded stakes. The Ohio Derby is the Buckeye state's only graded stakes event.
Smooth Air Stutts, Jr.'s Best
Smooth Air is the best horse Bennie Stutts, Jr. has had in his barn, the 70-year-old trainer claims. It's been 50 years since Stutts, Jr. has raced in Ohio, and Thistledown is the last remaining track from his days working with his father's operation as a groom in 1957 at Ascot Park.
Thistledown is the only remaining track of the old circuit of four in and around Cleveland. Stutts, Jr. recalls that snowstorms sometimes kept their horses indoors when races were scheduled.
The $300,000,1-1/8 miles Ohio Derby was Smooth Air's second graded stakes win this season.
The Florida-bred won the Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan.5, beating Silver Edition and Halo Najib. He finished second to the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes champion, Big Brown, in the Mar.29 Florida Derby. On Feb.16, Smooth Air fashioned a third place effort in the Sam F. Davis Stakes behind Big Truck and Fierce Wind, both Kentucky Derby contenders.
Cruz Takes Smooth Air to Cruise Control
Jockey Manoel Cruz piloted Smooth Air at Thistledown, asking the bay son of Smooth Jazz to chase the leader, Cherokee Artist, on the far turn after laying off the early fast pace of Celtic Meal. Smooth Air was equal to the task, getting the race under his control by the eighth pole and kicking away to victory.
Jeremy Rose kept Cherokee Artist up for second place. His mount had just two previous starts. Z Fortune, an early season Triple Crown hopeful who finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby, went third with Garrett Gomez in the saddle.
Cruz has ridden Smooth Air in all his races. He said his mount was charged for the win, showing a lot of heart in the stretch.
Cruz is a Florida-based rider and Smooth Air has primarily run in that state. His owners are the Illinois-based Mount Joy Stables made up of a family named Burns, headed by Brian and Jan, and including children Brittany, Dan, and Jamie.
Mount Joy Stables has won more stakes with Stutts, Jr. than anyone else the Burnes have worked with, according to Brian Burns. Smooth Air and Stutts, Jr. are very professional, he reported.
Burns is likely to suggest Smooth Air be entered in the June 27 Iowa Derby, a $250,000 event, and the graded III West Virginia Derby scheduled for Aug.2, which is worth $750,000. Thus far Smooth Air has earned $575,500. His dam is Air France, by French Deputy.
