Junebugred rallied late to win the Smarty Jones by a neck
Everybody was looking forward to a big performance by the 3-year-old Gary Hartlage trained filly, On Fire Baby, who was the heavy 3 to 2 favourite to win the ungraded $100,000 Smarty Jones Stakes, but the lightly raced 3-year-old colt, Junebugred, rallied late to peg back the favourite to win the 1 mile event at Oaklawn Park on 16 January, 2012.
In the full field of 12 runners, On Fire Baby was the only filly, and she was taking on the colts for the first time, but Junebugred spoiled the party for the filly, coupled with jockey Joe Bravo.
Alex Lieblong owned Kentucky bred son of Corinthian, out of mare Dixie Melody by Dixieland Band, Junebugred settled in nicely behind the contested pace, and swung past five horses at the second turn into the stretch.
Once he had the wire in sight, Joe Bravo under his hand drive, darted Junebugred, who was set off with the odds of 6 to 1, making his race winning move on the inside and squeezed past his opponents to win the race with a winning time of 1 minute and 38.45 seconds.
“He has shown us a lot of talent from right when we first got him,” said trainer Steve Hobby. “I had to call Alex all the time and tell him you won't believe this little red horse just outworked them all again. He outworks everybody.”
The son of Cactus Ridge, Reckless Jerry finished second after breaking from post number 12. Reckless Jerry travelled 5 wide throughout the race, gave his all in the final furlong, but got beaten by a neck, as On Fire Baby, breaking from post number 10, finished third.
“She ran OK,” said Gary ‘Red Dog’ Hartlage, trainer of On Fire Baby. “She didn't run as well as I thought she would, but the effort was really good, especially for first time against colts, but I don’t think you’ve seen her best yet.”
Steve Hobby trained Junbugred broke his maiden at second asking on 26 November, 2011, at Aqueduct racetrack, going a mile and stopping the clock in 1 minute and 36.72 seconds. He downed two races out of 3 lifetime starts so far.
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