“I just knew there was a lot of upside to this horse and room to get better,” said Hall of Famer Mike Smith.
Based on that belief, Smith flew from Del Mar, where he had a successful opening day on Friday, to Monmouth Park to pilot Geaux Rocket Ride in the Grade 1 Haskell on Saturday.
The panel of racing experts honored Smith as Jockey of the Week for July 17 through July 23. The award recognizes jockeys for riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1,050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella called on Smith to ride Geaux Rocket Ride for the first time in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell. Breaking from the rail in the field of eight, which included Kentucky Derby hero Mage and the highly regarded Arabian Knight, Smith guided his mount to the three path and into a stalking trip going into the first turn.
With Smith giving his mount the cue leaving the backstretch, Geaux Rocket Ride was in pursuit of Arabian Knight as Mage continued to draw closer while racing wide. The trio raced in union entering the home stretch. Both Geaux Rocket Ride and Mage inched ahead, but Geaux Rocket Ride found another gear and pulled away to post a 1 3/4-lengths win over Mage while Arabian Knight held on for third. Off at 12-1, Geaux Rocket Ride paid $27.40 and completed the nine furlongs in 1:49.52.
Smith collected his record fourth Haskell and Mandella his second.
“This horse is super intelligent,” Smith said. “When you have a horse that has a brilliant mind, you just work together. It's so much easier. It's like slicing butter with a hot knife. He just moves when you tell him to move. He does everything he's supposed to do.”
“This was the deepest Haskell field I've seen in a long time,” Smith said. “For him to perform, that is credit to Mr. Mandella and his whole crew. Of course, Geaux Rocket Ride deserves all the credit, too.”
The Haskell is a “Win and You're In” test for the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in November.
For Jockey of the Week honors, Smith outpolled Javier Castellano who won the G1 United Nations, Irad Ortiz, Jr. who won 14 races including five in one day and two graded stakes, Flavien Prat who won the G1 Coaching Club American Oaks, and Joel Rosario with four stakes wins including three graded.
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