DEL MAR, Calif. (Sept. 6, 2024) – With odds-on favorite Shea Brennan breaking last in a troubled trip, California Thoroughbred Breeders Association January Sale graduate Bodacious rebounded from a sixth-place finish in his previous race to win Friday’s $100,000 I’m Smokin Stakes for Golden State Series-eligible 2-year-olds at Del Mar.
Bodacious is the first stakes winner by Smokem, out of the Bodemeister mare My Love Magnet, was bred by Terry Lovingier, is owned by Griffin Stables LLC, Lovingier, Terry C. and Sabesky, Paul and trained by Jorge Periban.
“First time I ran the horse he ran with blinkers on and he got hit from both sides by a couple of horses and I think he got a little scared,” said Periban. “So today I took off the blinkers and it worked. He’s a nice horse. When he broke from the gate I saw him more focused and I said: ‘This is going to be the time.’ The horse was ready to go and I got lucky today.”
The $7,000 purchase at the CTBA January Sale from the Lovacres Ranch consignment has two wins in four starts, earnings of $93,400 and was coming off a sixth in the Aug. 9 Graduation Stakes and finishing sixth as the favorite in the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs.
“You know, I have been with this horse for six months now and Jorge (trainer Periban) said “This is a special one I have picked out for you,” and I’ve been with him ever since,” said jockey Tyler Baze. “I broke his maiden by five (lengths). I had a lot of faith in him. He is back to his old self; I am very happy in the mornings and post parade with him. And you know he proved it today that he is the right horse for this race. He ran a perfect pace today.”
Bodacious ran the six furlongs in 1:10.77 and won by three lengths at odds of 3-1. Style Cat was second and 3-5 favorite Shea Brennan third in a field of five after the scratch of morning-line favorite R Heisman, who instead will run in Sunday’s $300,000 Grade I Del Mar Futurity.