Richard Mandella hoping Smart Ellis gets a clean trip in the Sir Beaufort Stakes
Had the 3-year-old colt, Smart Ellis, clean runs in his entire nine career starts, his stat card reading could have been a different viewing from what it is today. The colt just doesn’t get clean trips, and his jinxed in almost every race he runs in and
five of Daily Racing Form’s trouble line comments read “Steadied, five wide into stretch; bit awkward start; off slow, steadied; rallied, bump late; inside, bumped, steadied.”
This can be frustrating to the core for trainer Richard Mandella, who saw Smart Ellis finish a dismal 12th after a seriously troubled trip in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby to winner, Unbridled Command, who downed the 1 ¼ mile test of turf in 2 minutes
and 1.07 seconds.
Though, he did win a race after almost a year, when he downed an allowance optional claimer at Del Mar’s turf course going 1 1/16 miles. Smart Ellis probably did have a clean trip then, but it was something very pleasing for his connections, who rarely witness
such a thing.
He frustrated them again in his following start, when he finished eighth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at about 1 1/8 miles on 2 September, 2012.
However, he turned in a satisfactory performance in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita Park’s turf course, where despite not having a clean trip, he went on to finish third on the day to winner, Grandeur, who wrapped up proceedings in 1 minute and
46.78 seconds.
Richard Mandella trains Smart Ellis for longtime clients Wertheimer and Frere, and the Hall of Fame trainer had this time for the chestnut colt by the 2004 Kentucky Derby winner, Smarty Jones. “He was born in trouble.” He went on to say, “Even one race (on
turf at Del Mar in July) he won he had trouble.”
Out of El Gran Senor mare Corrazona, Smart Ellis is pointed toward the Grade 2, $150,000 Sir Beaufort Stakes, and Richard Mandella hopes against all hope that his colt gets a clear run. The race is scheduled on turf on opening day, and will be run over a
distance of 1 mile.
Smart Ellis will be sent at 9 to 2 under rider Julien Leparoux, and will break from post number 4.
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