Grade 1 winner Drain the Clock is prominent on the nominations list for the $100,000 Smile Sprint (G3) July 2 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig, Drain the Clock is one of 14 3-year-olds and up nominated to the six-furlong sprint that will be featured on the Summit of Speed program headlined by the $300,000 Princess Rooney Invitational (G2).
Bo Hirsch LLC's Ce Ce is scheduled to defend her title in the Princess Rooney, a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. The Michael McCarthy-trained daughter of Elusive Quality, who captured the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) and an Eclipse Award last year, is featured on a list of 14 invitees and three reserve invitees.
The Smile is one of 12 graded dirt stakes included in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen, an incentive-based participation bonus program. The winner of the Smile will earn a $30,000 credit toward the entry fee for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 5 at Keeneland. The second-place finisher will earn a $15,000 credit, while the show horse will earn a $7500 credit.
Drain the Clock earned his Grade 1 credentials with a victory in the Woody Stephens on the 2021 Belmont Stakes (G1) undercard. The 4-year-old son of Maclean's Music also won the Bay Shore (G3) at Aqueduct and the Swale (G3) at Gulfstream last year. He hasn't run since finishing off-the-board in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on the March 26 Dubai World Cup (G1) undercard.
Joseph is also represented on the Smile Sprint nominations list by John Fanelli, LC Racing LLC, Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch's Awesome Gerry, who is coming off back-to-back optional claiming allowance scores at Churchill Downs and Keeneland, and Girolamo's Attack, who is coming off an optional claiming allowance win at Gulfstream.
Lightening Larry and Willy Boi represent Lea Farms LLC and trainer Jorge Delgado on the Smile Sprint nominations list. Lightening Larry, a 3-year-old son of Uncaptured, is coming off a victory on the Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico on the May 21 Preakness Stakes undercard. Willy Boi captured the May 26 Big Drama Stakes at Gulfstream by 5 ¼ lengths.
Lightening Larry and Willy Boi are among nine Smile nominees that are eligible for a $50,000 Florida-bred “Win Only” bonus.
Daniel Walters' Absolute Grit, who romped to victory in the June 9 Cooper City by seven lengths to collect his fourth win in five starts for trainer Rohan Crichton; David Melin, Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa's King Cab, the runner-up in the Big Drama; and Elizabeth Dobles and Imaginary Stables' Pudding, who captured the Sprint Stakes for Florida-breds at Tampa two starts back; are also nominated to the Smile Sprint.
Diamond Oops, the 2019 Smile Sprint winner who finished third in last year's running, is also among this year's nominees, along with Gatsby, Legal Deal, Omaha City, Real Talk and Yes I'm a Beast.
The $100,000 Bob Umphrey Sprint, a 5 ½-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up on Tapeta that will wrap up Summit of Speed weekend July 3, also drew 14 nominations, including Richard Ravin and Patricia's Hope's One Timer. The Larry Rivelli-trained 3-year-old son of Trappe Shot is undefeated in three starts, including two stakes wins, on Tapeta. One Timer is coming off a victory in his 2022 debut in the Tom Ridge at Presque Isle Downs.
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