Smiling Tiger to save himself till the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, says trainer Jeff Bonde
Trainer Jeff Bonde has been instrumental with his 4-year-old colt, Smiling Tiger, who has gone on to win thrice this season out of 7 starts with twice finishing on the money, and when Jeff Bonde says he will skip races just to compete in the Grade 1 Breeders’
Cup Sprint, there has to be some wisdom there.
The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint will commence on 5 November, 2011, at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Jeff Bonde, who is currently at Keeneland, said that he will train up to the race on works.
If that is what Bonde is aiming at, than it automatically rules out the possibility of running in the Grade 1 Ancient Title held at Santa Anita Park on 8 October, 2011.
The son of Hold that Tiger, out of Shandra Smiles by Cahill Road, Smiling Tiger has been doing well over a distance of 6 or 7 furlongs, and he hasn’t deviated from this sort of distance ever since the sprinter broke his maiden.
This year though, comparatively hasn’t been as productive as the previous season, where he managed to finish on the money each time he raced with three wins to show.
This year he has done well by winning three times out of seven starts, but also finished 6th and 4th a couple of times.
Smiling Tiger’s 2011 season achievement is a win in the Grade 1 Triple Bend at Hollywood Park’s poly track over a distance of 7 furlongs on 2 July, 2011.
Under jockey Joel Rosario, who guided the colt to his previous wins the season, was aboard Smiling Tiger yet again, and the pair worked in absolute synergy to down rivals like Amazombie and Camp Victory to win the grade 1 Hollywood feature.
Not only he won the race, he won it with a 112 Beyer. Smiling Tiger has a history of doing well after a fresh start, and probably the reason not to race the colt for a good period of two months is for him to start off fresh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
The Grade 1 Triple Bend was Smiling Tiger’s first start in two months, and Jeff Bonde seems to have embraced that philosophy for his sprinter.
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