Golden State Series I’m Smokin Stakes

Joker Boy remains undefeated with his half-length victory in Del Mar’s I’m Smokin Stakes

A JOKER IN THE DECK

JOKER BOY DELIVERS PUNCH LINE IN I’M SMOKIN STAKES

BY TRACY GANTZ

I’m Smokin Stakes winner Joker Boy owes his California-bred status to the stallion Smiling Tiger, even though he is by Kentucky stallion Practical Joke. It’s the same playbook that Premier Toroughbreds used to get Cal-bred champion Miss Sunset.

Premier stands Smiling Tiger at John Harris’ Harris Farms and regularly scours Kentucky sales for mares to breed to the stallion. Mersad Metanovic Bloodstock purchased Tuscan Sunset in 2013 as a potential mare for Smiling Tiger, and she produced Miss Sunset, a daughter of Into Mischief, the next year.

Premier purchased Bandora, who would become the dam of Joker Boy, in foal to Animal Kingdom for $75,000 at the 2015 Keeneland January mixed sale from Kingswood Farm. Bandora produced Continental Divide that May. Te Cal-bred son of Animal Kingdom sold as a yearling for $45,000 and as a 2-year-old for $245,000, developing into a stakes winner for DP Racing.

When frst bred to Smiling Tiger, Bandora produced multiple winner Smiling Bandit. Joker Boy is the mare’s 2019 foal before she went back to Smiling Tiger. Bandora has been bred to Practical Joke for a 2022 foal.

Phil Lebherz is the principal behind Premier Toroughbreds. He and Alan Klein raced Smiling Tiger to the stallion’s millionaire, grade 1 status, and the two of them own Joker Boy along with Rusty Brown, another who has shared in many Smiling Tiger runners.

Joker Boy’s Cal-bred status gives trainer Brian Koriner more options. Te conditioner put the colt into a 51⁄2-furlong maiden race for Cal-breds and California-sired runners at Del Mar Aug. 7. Joker Boy responded with a half-length victory for jockey Edwin Maldonado, good enough to engender thoughts of the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) Sept. 6. But Del Mar also ofered the $100,500 I’m Smokin, part of the Golden State Stakes program, two days before.

“After we won, we thought of this race,” said Koriner of the I’m Smokin. “We thought he might be good enough to go in the Futurity, but then you’ve got Bob Bafert freaks in there, so we opted for the easier spot.”

Te I’m Smokin wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. Favored Rock N Rye was coming of a victory in the $94,000 Graduation Stakes. Second-choice Tirsty Always won the Everett Nevin Stakes at Pleasanton and ran fourth in the Best Pal Stakes (G2) after dueling for the early lead.

Maldonado had confdence in Joker Boy. When the gate opened for the six-furlong event, they sped right to the front and remained there throughout. Joker Boy drew of to defeat Rock N Rye by 31⁄2 lengths in 1:10.77, with Tirsty Always third.

“I told Brian that we were going to be the real deal today,” said Maldonado. “Tis horse is special. When I frst got on him, I didn’t think he was a 2-year-old. He acted like an old horse. Today I just let him run out of there. He can run on, this horse—I have no doubt about that.”

Trainer Brian Koriner, right, joins owner/ breeder Phil Lebherz, third right, and co-owner Alan Klein, with trophy to celebrate Joker Boy’s I’m Smokin win