CURLIN S., $100,000, SAR, 7-31, (C), (NW1R6M), 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.40, ft.
1–#SMART TRANSITION, 117, c, 3, by Smart Strike
1st Dam: Zardana (Brz), by Crimson Tide (Ire)
2nd Dam: Dear Filly (Arg), by Southern Halo
3rd Dam: My Dear Girl (Arg), by Merce Cunningham
O/B-Arnold Zetcher LLC (KY); T-John A Shirreffs;
J-Junior Alvarado. $60,000. Lifetime Record:
6-2-1-1, $147,160.
2–Tekton, 119, r, 3, Bernardini–Touch Love, by Not
For Love. ($190,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Shortleaf
Stable Inc; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY);
T-Anthony W Dutrow. $20,000.
3–King of New York, 119, c, 3, Street Boss–Princess
Consort, by Dixieland Band. ($65,000 Ylg '13
KEESEP). O-Harold Lerner LLC; B-Mike Abraham (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $10,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 2HF, 2. Odds: 2.15, 1.80, 12.10.
Also Ran: Battle Midway, Stanford, Unrivaled. Scratched: Tommy Macho.
Smart Transition continued on his improvement curve with a rallying score in the Friday feature. Away in good order, the chestnut tracked a three-horse dispute for the lead as Tekton, Stanford (Malibu Moon) and Battle Midway (Quality Road) tussled through fractions of :23.85 and :47.70. Angled four wide turning for home, he forged to the front in midstretch and reported home well clear of Tekton. A third-out graduate at Santa Anita Apr. 30, the colt checked in third in a 1 1/16-mile Belmont allowance contest June 6 and recently raced evenly to finish fourth behind 'TDN Rising Star' Speightster (Speightstown) in the GIII Dwyer S. going one mile at that venue July 4. Smart Transition's dam, Zardana, won four stakes events for this same owner-trainer combination during her Stateside campaign. “It was really special for us,” said trainer John Shirreffs. “We were very happy with his performance–it was something we hoped for, so it was nice to see it actually happen. He's a good stalker. He was in a beautiful position, and Junior [Alvarado] gave him a perfect ride. We wanted a clean trip and we got a clean trip. Everything worked out well.” Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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