Smiling Tiger put up a fine rally to take the Vernon O. Underwood Stakes
Third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, 5-year-old Smiling Tiger, roared back to post his first victory since July last year in the Grade 3, $100,000 Vernon O. Underwood Stakes on his home track at Betfair Hollywood Park on 2 December, 2012.
It was Smiling Tiger’s fifth start of the season, and his first victory of the year, after a spirited run in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint to finish a close third at Santa Anita Park on 3 November, 2012.
Trained by Jeff Bonde for owners Alan Klein and Philip Lebherz, Smiling Tiger last won a race on 2 July, 2011, the Grade 1 Triple Bend also at Betfair Hollywood Park, where he defeated Camp Victory in second and Amazombie in third going over a distance of seven furlongs.
In the Vernon O. Underwood Stakes, Smiling Tiger under jockey Rafael Bejarano covered the six furlong distance in 1 minute and 11.24 seconds, after setting up a perfect trip edge past the second place finisher, Private Zone, by a single length over Hollywood Park’s cushion track.
Going into the Vernon O. Underwood Stakes, the connections had a concern over Smiling Tiger’s fitness, who was coming off a throat surgery to correct his breathing in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, and after a huge effort at Santa Anita, the concern was that will he able to do the same in the Underwood Stakes.
Though, the public didn’t show much concern, as his odds of 17 to 10 reflected that in a field of six.
"He took a little break and came back for the big race (Breeders' Cup Sprint)," Bonde said. "He wheeled right back and trained great for this race.
"As a 2-year-old he had a throat issue," Bonde explained. "We did a procedure on him and it lasted 2 1/2 years, so you can't really cry about it. It fell apart on us at Betfair Hollywood Park in his last start (a fifth in the Triple Bend June 30) and we had to do it again. (The owners) said we had to make the Breeders' Cup and we did. We'll try to space his races because we're hoping to take him to Dubai."
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