Breaking! Subsanador Shocks as Favorite, Dominates Iselin in Epic California Invasion!

Mike Smith, the jockey, had to quickly adapt his strategy during the $250,000, Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park this past Saturday.

Smith, also known as “Big-money Mike,” showed why he has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. His initial plan of taking an early lead didn’t materialize, so he had to resort to a Plan B. Smith had Subsanador, the race favorite, hold the third position behind the leading pair in the 1 1/16-mile race. Despite the unfavorable start, Smith managed to turn the situation into a successful race strategy and secured a victory with a 1 1/2-length lead over Il Miracolo.

You can view the Monmouth Park entries and results here.

Subsanador, trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, claimed his first victory in the United States after four attempts, following three successful graded stakes in Argentina in the previous year.

Smith explained that he initially intended to take the lead but had to change plans when Subsanador struggled to get a good start. He said, “He slipped coming out of the gate and it took him a while to find his footing on the track’s backside. But once he settled in, he gripped the track and I could tell he was ready to go.” Smith added that he knew he had a good chance of winning when he saw the two leading horses struggling with each other.

The race concluded with a winning time of 1:42.63.

Smithwick’S Spice, in the secondary feature, managed to maintain his lead against competitors on both his inside and outside, winning the $124,000 Select Stakes at odds of 25-1. The win was a victory for trainer Doug Nunn and jockey Jorge Gonzalez.

Subsanador, who previously took second place in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, was racing for the second time under Mandella’s training. The 5-year-old horse, owned by Wathman Racing, bagged $15,000 in entry fees for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with this victory.

Smith had Subsanador maintain the third position behind Everso Mischievous and Il Miracolo through early fractions of :23.87, :47.63, and 1:12 for six furlongs before making his move.

Mandella was pleased with the race outcome, stating, “He was able to work out a perfect trip.”

The win was Subsanador’s eighth in his career of 16 starts. However, Smith’s early move to take command led to some tense moments, with Il Miracolo still battling on the outside near the end. The third place went to Antigravity, who was trailing by another 15¼ lengths.

Smith expressed his confidence in Subsanador’s fitness, stating, “He has been running a mile and a quarter. He’s had three 1 1/4-mile races so I know he’s fit. I was able to be brave with him because of that. I probably moved him a bit too early, but I didn’t want to give Il Miracolo a chance to get into the bridle and then have my horse hang. He’s been training very well and it showed in his performance today.”

Mandella plans to return Subsanador to California after a three-month break. He was very pleased with Subsanador’s performance, saying, “He has been working very well, so I knew he was ready. I’m liking him better and better. We’re starting to see some of that Argentina form.”

Mandella mentioned a potential race at Santa Anita on September 28, the Grade 1 California Crown, as Subsanador’s next possible competition.

Subsanador’s winning odds paid out at $5.00.

In other news, Smithwick’s Spice gave Nunn his first stakes win since the gelding son of Frost Giant won the Turf Dash at Tampa Downs on February 24, paying out $53.60.

The favorite, Nothing Better, took second place after a strong performance on the rail, with Senbei trailing just behind in third place.

Smithwick’s Spice’s victory marked his 12th overall win and his fourth in seven starts at Monmouth Park.

Despite the steady rainfall, the turf course was labeled firm. Smithwick’s Spice finished the 5 1/2 furlongs in a time of 1:04.18.