Pickin’ Time Outduels Dalton in Smoke Glacken

OCEANPORT, NJ – Roseland Farm Stable homebred Pickin’ Time outdueled a game Dalton to win Sunday’s $75,000 Smoke Glacken Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Pickin’ Time was the 3/1 third choice in the six-horse field as he broke from post 5 under Joe Bravo and settled into a stalking position. My Beautiful Belle set opening fractions of :21.98 and :45.14 before Dalton overtook him in the far turn.

Straightening for home with a slim advantage, Dalton soon came under pressure from Pickin’ Time, who had tipped out three-wide while cornering and was slowly advancing.

The two hooked up for a mad dash home, distancing themselves from the others while running step for step together. Pickin’ Time got his nose in front at the 1/16 pole and held that advantage through to the wire.

The Kelly Breen trainee completed the 6-furlong fast dirt sprint in 1:10.61.

“I was really confident and I really liked him a lot today, except I was scared it was just 6 furlongs,” Bravo said. “I think he will be even better going two turns. For a 2-year-old, he still hasn’t developed yet. He’s like a big baby. He has raw ability. You can see that. To tell you the truth, I turned for home and I thought we would open up a length or 2 to win the race. I give that other horse (Dalton) a lot of credit.”

Dalton was 3 lengths clear of Basso, himself 1 1/4 lengths ahead of the 2/1 favorite Waist Deep.

Frank N Ducky and My Beautiful Belle completed the order of finish in the juvenile-restricted race.

Pickin’ Time’s win was the second of his career and followed a strong runner-up effort in the local 1-mile Sapling Stakes behind Waist Deep. The New Jersey-bred Stay Thirsty colt carries a record of 4-2-1-0 with $129,025 earned for his breeder John Bowers Jr., who races as Roseland Farm Stable.

“He got into a little bit of trouble in his last race and he had a really good trip today,” Breen said. “Last time out, that trouble seemed to cost him. He’s a big horse. He has to be close to 17 hands as a 2-year-old and it’s going to take him a little while. Joe Bravo jumped off of him and said, ‘He’s probably going to be better going two turns.’ I said, ‘Well, he didn’t do too badly today at 6 furlongs.'”

Pickin’ Time returned $8.40 to win, $4 to place, and $3.20 to show. Dalton brought back $6.20 to place and $4.20 to show, while Basso paid $3.80 to show.