Second choice Real Smart got a perfectly timed ride to collar grade I winner and even-money favorite Photo Call in the stretch and win the $200,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial (gr. IIIT) July 9 at Delaware Park. Watch Video
With Edgar Prado in the irons for trainer Graham Motion, Bjorn Nielson's homebred Smart Strike filly tallied her first stakes win when she scored comfortably over Photo Call. Swear by It was third at odds of 21-1.
Real Smart finished 1 3/8 miles for fillies and mares in 2:16.10 on firm turf to win for the third time in nine career starts.
Savings Account laid down the early tempo as Photo Call stayed in close attendance before edging clear on the turn and leading into the stretch. Real Smart was ideally rated in third most of the way, readily moved into second in early stretch when Savings Account faded. She came on strongly in the lane, overhauling Photo Call in the final furlong for a two-length triumph.
Real Smart returned $5.80, $2.80, and $2.40, Photo Call paid $2.60 and $2.20, and Swear by It was worth $4.40 to show.
Bred in Kentucky, Real Smart was produced by the Daylami mare Rose Diamond, who was group III-placed at Goodwood. Second dam Tante Rose was an English group I winner and highweight. Real Smart is the 114th black-type winner and 120th stakes winner for Smart Strike.
Last year Real Smart raced in England, where she had a record of a win, two seconds and two thirds from six starts. After her 3-year-old season, she transferred to Motion. In her North America debut, she posted a 2 3/4-length triumph in a mile and a quarter allowance at Belmont Park May 13. She followed with a third-place finish in 1 1/8-mile allowance at Belmont June 10 before Saturday's breakthrough stakes win.
Vielsalm was fourth, followed by Inside Out, Savings Account, and Peace Prize to complete the order of finish.
Suffused was scratched by the stewarts after a Delaware state-approved veterinarian failed to show up at the barn and administer the required pre-race injection of the legal diuretic Lasix, according to this Doug McCoy report from The Racing Biz.
