Crazy Hot © Benoit Photo
Rusty Brown and Cory Thabit’s Crazy Hot ducked in sharply at the start of the Generous Portion Stakes, but soon was straightened on her course by the strong and steady hands of veteran Mike Smith and went forward with a front-running victory in Monday’s Generous Portion Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies.
The daughter of Goldencents ran the six-furlong distance in 1:11.93 and, as the 9-10 favorite, returned $3.80 for her length and a quarter triumph.
Finishing second in the $125,000 feature was Ciaglia Racing, SAF Racing and Crusberg’s Prancingthruparis, who had seven and a quarter lengths on third-place finisher Fly a Fantasy, owned by Harris Farms, Cavalli, Santon and Wedge.
Crazy Hot earned a check for $71,250 for her handiwork, increasing her bankroll to $134,850 with her first stakes victory.
Earlier on the card, MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm’s Micro Share proved best by three and a quarter lengths in the $105,400 Tranquility Lake Overnight Stakes for fillies and mares, aged 3 and up.
Handled by jockey Smith for trainer Richard Mandella, the 4-year-old daughter of Upstart raced the mile in 1:38.28 to best Haras Lizzie’s Yuki. Finishing third, another three-quarters of a length back, was the 3-10 favorite, Baffert and Pageler’s Fun to Dream, who never seemed to get into the fray.
Micro Share picked up a check for $60,000 to push her earnings to $217,240. It was her third straight victory and fourth overall.
Racing will resume for the meet’s final weekend on Friday with first post at 3 p.m.
MIKE SMITH (Crazy Hot, winner) – “She ducked; she went for the gap. I kind of had a feeling she might try that; I had my rein short on one side for it. She’s fast through. Really fast. She’s a nice filly. And despite the trouble, she got it done.”
JEFF BONDE (Crazy Hot, winner) – “You hate drawing the one hole and this race was a disaster. For whatever reason they delayed it and with young 2-year-olds some of them tolerate it, some of them don’t, so you’re going to see a new side of them when that occurs. He’s (Mike Smith) a great speed rider and he did a good job.”
FRACTIONS: :22.69 :46.78 :549.15 1:11.93
The stakes win was the second of the meet for rider Smith and also the second of the meet for trainer Bonde.
This is the second victory in the Generous Portion for Smith (Been Studying Her, 2019) and his 79th stakes win at Del Mar overall, 11thy best of all riders.
This is the third victory in the Generous Portion for trainer Bonde and his 18th Del Mar stakes victory.
The winning owners are Brown and Thabit.