Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino (Saturday, January 12, 2008)

Smooth Bid wins $50,000 Winsham Lad Handicap

SMOOTH BID Photo Credit: Eugene O'Neill / Coady Photo
 

Under a daring ride from Casey Lambert, Smooth Bid shot through horses in upper stretch

and drew clear by over 2 lengths to score a dynamic win in the $50,000 Winsham Lad Handicap

at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.

Let go at 5-1 odds, Smooth Bid relaxed beautifully for Lambert during the early stages

of the one mile feature. With three furlongs to go, the grey son of Rubiano began picking

up horses and found an opening at the top of the lane.

With the ground saving ride, Smooth Bid rocketed to the front along the inside and powered

through the final furlong, safely in front of the game Rollicking Caller. The Steven Asmussen

trained runner sped through the distance in a fast 1:35.70, just missing the track standard

set by Mr Trieste of 1:35.38 in 2004.

Lambert described the race in the winner’s circle, “It opened up nice for us at the quarter pole.

I had a lot of horse under me. Steve told me he could run on the dirt and to wait as long as

we could. When the hole opened up, he was there. He is an excellent horse, very capable

of a fast time.”

The Winsham Lad was the third stakes victory of the meet for Lambert who also won

the Albert Dominguez Memorial Handicap with Some Ghost and the Bold Ego Handicap

with Gleaming Elegance. He is in peak riding form and challenging for the lead in the

Sunland Thoroughbred rider standings.

Smooth Bid shipped into Sunland Park loaded with turf racing experience in Texas and

Oklahoma. He was stakes placed four times in 2007. The six-year-old stallion switched

to the dirt surface with ease and earned $30,000 for the Dakota Stables and Steven

Asmussen of Laredo, Texas. His ninth career win increased his bankroll past $353,000.

Mulitple stakes winning kingpin Rollicking Caller was valiant in defeat. Under Miguel

Perez, the 2-1 favorite launched a wide bid around the final turn and was full of run. The

seven-year-old Caller I.D. gelding was well clear on the outside but could not run

down the winner.

Plug Me In and jockey Jorge Espitia finished in third, six lengths behind the winner.

25-longshot Lorenzon closed belatedly to earn fourth place.

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