One 2-year-old favored at odds-on came through, the other did not, as Blue Fire posted a mild upset over Secret Faith in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie and Smoken Wicked whipped five rivals as the 3-5 chalk in the $100,000 Juvenile.
Jockey Colby Hernandez took full advantage of an outside draw in the six-furlong Juvenile, comfortably maneuvering Smoken Wicked, who has plenty of early speed, into a clean stalking trip as Tdz Hint of Power, breaking sharply from the rail, went an opening quarter mile in 21.78. Fourth going into the turn, Smoken Wicked nearly had made the lead coming out of it, forging to the front at the eighth pole and, despite racing somewhat greenly in deep stretch, coasting to a two-length win.
Hay Jude found his best stride late and rallied into second before galloping out far in front, with Tdz Hint of Power holding third. Smoken Wicked was timed in 1:10.43 over a fast track and paid $3.40. Owned by Murray Valene’s Valene Farms, Smoken Wicked is trained by Dallas Stewart, the Juvenile marking his 1,000th win. Smoken Wicked, by Bobby’s Wicked One out of Street Smoke, by Street Boss, was bred by Tom Curtis and Wayne Simpson, and showed enough talent over the summer to earn a trip to Saratoga, performing admirably there to finish third in the Saratoga Special and fourth in the Grade 1 Hopeful.
Secret Faith’s trip unfolded similarly to Smoken Wicked – except she faced a foe that proved her equal.
Blue Fire came out of a highly rated Louisiana-bred maiden race last month at Fair Grounds, narrowly beating Powdered Sugar, who easily cleared the maiden ranks earlier on the Saturday card. Blue Fire, under Jose Ortiz, set sail for the lead, going her first quarter mile in 21.99 as C.J. McMahon settled 4-5 Secret Faith outside in third, the favorite traveling easily around the turn.
Secret Faith, cornering well, loomed for the lead without being asked before the eighth pole and took Blue Fire’s measure with McMahon still sitting chilly, but Blue Fire was not done. Ortiz guided the filly outside to fully engage Secret Faith, and by the time McMahon got busy on his mount, Blue Fire had all the momentum and a head victory. Warrior’s Justice finished third, more than nine lengths behind Secret Faith, who’d won the first five starts of her career.
Timed in 1:10.48, Blue Fire paid $4.80 as the strong second choice. Steve Asmussen trains Blue Fire for Stonestreet Stable and Peter Leidel, and Blue Fire, a daughter of Aurelius Maximus and the Maimonides mare Mystic Blue, was bred by J. Adcock and Nathan Granger. She won her stakes debut, a game filly beneath a jockey, Ortiz, who never gave up.
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