Smithwick's Spice as Good as Ever Winning the Select Stakes

New Jersey-bred Smithwick’s Spice, coming off a win against Delaware-certified allowance foes, pulled off a 25-1 upset in the $100,000 Select Stakes at Monmouth Park on August 18. He battled for the early lead with Xy Speed, wrestled control and pulled clear in the stretch, and held off the late surges of favorites Nothing Better and Senbei to prevail by a nose. He’s now a two-time stakes winner on the year, having previously won the Leinster Turf Dash in February at Tampa Bay Downs. The New Spice Stable homebred gelding is trained by Doug Nunn and was ridden by Jorge Gonzalez.

“I knew he would have to move up a little to win this and he did”, said winning trainer Doug Nunn. In the race he won at Delaware in the start before this, the fractions were :25 and :49.2 to the half, so the race didn’t take much out of him. That was 7½ furlongs, and I thought he would be even better at 5½ furlongs as fit as he is now. I really thought going in that we were the speed but he didn’t break sharply and kind of had to rush up to get the lead. But he had just enough left. He’s as good as he has ever been right now and that’s saying something for an 8-year-old.”

 “The idea was to go right to the lead but my horse did not break well”, said jockey Jorge Gonzalez. But then he really picked it up and went right after (Xy Speed). It just took him longer to make the lead than I thought. He was at his best today. But I was a little worried late. I saw horses on both sides of me right as we hit the finish line, but I knew he poked his nose in front. I have ridden him before, so I know him. This is the best he has been for me.”

Smithwick’s Spice has reached the winner’s circle in 12 of his 46 starts with earnings of $640,367.