|
|
Casablanca Smile impresses in La Prevoyante comeback
"I wasn't concerned at all about the layoff," Castellano said. "The trainer did a great job bringing her back. I rode her with a lot of confidence. She gave me more than 100 percent. She just galloped beautifully…she put herself on the lead. Turning for home, I knew I had a lot of horse. She has a powerful turn of foot. and it was like she had just started the race." "She's a very, very classy filly," McGaughey said. "Naturally, you'd be concerned going this distance off that kind of layoff, but I liked that three-quarters in 1:18. That certainly helped." Cheetah was 2 3/4 lengths clear of third-placer Tesoro de Amor, a 32-1 shot. Thislilsoulofmine rallied from far back to grab fourth. Senada, who was checked on the final turn, reported home fifth. Emerald Beech had advanced into third at one point on the far turn, but faded down the lane and wound up sixth. Holidaysatthefarm, Millennia, Coffee Run, Petite Riviere and Ventania rounded out the order of finish. Casablanca Smile improved her record to 18-7-6-2, $385,962, reflecting five stakes wins and eight stakes placings. In her native Chile, the daughter of Ocean Terrace had the misfortune to compete against Belle Watling, who was honored as Horse of the Year after her unprecedented sweep of Club Hipico de Santiago's Quadruple Crown. Casablanca Smile finished second to Belle Watling in the 2009 Group 1 Premio El Ensayo, Group 1 Premio Polla de Potrancas and Group 3 Premio Julio Subercaseaux, and she checked in third to her in the Group 1 Premio Nacional Ricardo Lyon. Once away from Belle Watling in her final two outings at home, Casablanca Smile garnered the Group 1 Premio Las Oaks and romped in the Group 1 Premio El Derby by six lengths. Those efforts earned her the champion stayer's title for the 2009-10 season. Her Chilean resume also includes a victory in the Group 3 Premio Carlos Valdes Izquierdo. Since joining McGaughey in the United States in early 2010, Casablanca Smile has yet to finish out of the top three. In her U.S. debut in the Grade 3 All Along at Colonial Downs, she finished third to eventual Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Shared Account. Casablanca Smile then ran second twice at Saratoga, in the Waya and the Grade 3 Glens Falls, before crushing the Dowager at Keeneland by seven lengths in front-running fashion. That was her final start of 2010, and the last in a race not named the La Prevoyante. "I had her entered in a race in New York before we came down here," McGaughey said, alluding to the November 6 Spice Island at Aqueduct, "but she came up with a little foot problem and I had to scratch her. She got over that real quick. "I thought she'd run good today, and if she got beat, it would simply be the layoff. I think her best distance is between a mile-and-a-quarter and a mile-and-a-half. I'll talk to the owner about her future in the next week, and we'll map out a plan for her future." Bred by Haras El Sheik, Casablanca Smile is a half-sister to Chilean Group 1 winners Patakuza and Stormy Impact, as well as to Chilean Group 2 victress Pretty Cat and Group 1-placed Golden Impact. They are out of the Sadlers Congress mare Periza, who is herself a full sister to Group 1 diva Pelusada.
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
