Get Smokin Parlays Easy Lead Into Success In Seek Again

ELMONT, NY – Trainer Tom Bush’s Get Smokin parlayed an easy early lead into scintillating success in Saturday’s $100,000 Seek Again Stakes at Belmont Park.

Get Smokin broke from post 5 under Junior Alvarado as the 4/1 third choice and went straight to the front, where he loped along unopposed through opening fractions of :24.25, :48.61, and 1:11.78.

The 9/5 favorite Flavius chased from second from start to finish as Get Smokin held him and Tell Your Daddy at bay to win the firm one-turn outer turf mile event by 3/4 of a length in 1:33.96.

“He’s very quick,” Alvarado said. “If anyone else wants the lead, they have to work very hard. He broke sharp today again, which makes my job easy. I just had to nurse him along. Turning for home, I knew I had plenty of horse left and he gave me that nice kick that he has.”

Flavius could do no better than second by a nose over Tell Your Daddy, with the top three runners early remaining in their same positions through to the wire.

Delaware, Decorated Invader, Tiberius Mercurius, Olympic Runner, and Epic Dreamer completed the order of finish.

Main Track Only entries Danny California and Yankee Division scratched.

Get Smokin’s win was his third at the stakes ranks following February’s Tampa Bay (G3) last October’s local Hill Prince (G2). The 4-year-old Get Stormy gelding’s record now stands at 14-4-3-2 with $376,040 earned.

“He’s dangerous on the front end, that’s for sure,” Bush said. “When they’re loping along like that and they aren’t using themselves too much, you’re always happy to see that. I knew they’d be laying a little closer, too, since we were the only speed, but they couldn’t get by him. It was a terrific effort.”

Get Smokin returned $10.80 to win, $5.20 to place, and $4 to show. Flavius brought back $3.20 to place and $3 to show. Tell Your Daddy paid $7.50 to show.