Golden State Series: Evening Jewel Stakes

A masked Mike Smith guides Smiling Shirlee to a half-length win in the Evening Jewel Stakes

© BENOIT PHOTO

SMILES ALL AROUND IN EVENING JEWEL STAKES

BY TRACY GANTZ

When Phil Lebherz sent bloodstock agent Mersad Metanovic to fnd mares to help support the stallion Smiling Tiger, neither realized just how much success they would have.

In the name of Premier Toroughbreds, Lebherz bred and sold Spiced Perfection, a daughter of Smiling Tiger who has gone on to win two California-bred Horse of the Year titles and earn more than $1 million. Smiling Tiger has also sired Cal-bred champion Cruel Intention, Washington champion Baja Sur, Korean champion Ace Korea, and Smiling Shirlee, winner of the $152,500 Evening Jewel Stakes at Santa Anita May 16.

Premier bred Smiling Shirlee from the Grand Slam mare Whobetterthanus, and Lebherz owns the 3-year-old flly with Alan Klein and Rusty Brown. Te partners had raced Whobetterthanus after Metanovic and trainer Jef Bonde bought her for $52,000 at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale. Bonde trained Smiling Tiger and Whobetterthanus and now Smiling Shirlee.

Whobetterthanus produced two winners by Sway Away before she foaled Smiling Shirlee.

“She’s named for Shirlee, Alan Klein’s mother, who passed away,” said Lebherz.

Klein raced Smiling Tiger in partnership with Lebherz, and Brown about three years ago joined their breeding operation.

“Tiger last year had 110 mares to him,” said Lebherz, the stallion’s biggest booster. “And this year he had over 100.”

Smiling Shirlee won an allowance optional claimer at Santa Anita March 6 before the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily shut down racing at Santa Anita. When the track received the go-ahead to race again beginning May 15, the Evening Jewel and Echo Eddie Stakes, both for California-bred and California-sired 3-year-olds at six furlongs, were rescheduled for May 16.

Smiling Shirlee drew the rail and faced nine others, including favored Bulletproof One, a two-time stakes winner in 2019. Warren’s Showtime is a three-time stakes winner, including the March 7 China Doll Stakes. Been Studying Her won stakes at Del Mar and Santa Anita in 2019.

“Tis was a tough race,” said Lebherz.

When the gate opened, Bulletproof One and Dim Lights came out quickly and battled each other for the lead. Smiling Shirlee, ridden by Mike Smith, settled into seventh.

“We had Big Money Mike up, so I wasn’t worried,” said Lebherz about Smiling Shirlee’s early position. “I think she can go farther, so I wasn’t worried about her running out of gas.”

Four wide into the stretch, Smiling Shirlee passed horses heading for the wire. Bella Vita, a Cal-bred daughter of Bayern, took the lead in midstetch, but she was unable to hold of Smiling Shirlee, who defeated that rival by a half-length in 1:10.49. Bella Vita was another length ahead of third-place Been Studying Her.

“We had the extra time of, and she’d been training extremely well for this race,” said Bonde. “We were concerned with the rail, but Mike ft this flly like a glove. She rewarded us today.”

Smiling Shirlee broke her maiden in her racing debut on the opening day of last summer’s Del Mar meeting. She placed in three consecutive stakes at 2 and has now won three of eight lifetime starts.

“Tis girl is really good,” said Lebherz. “She’s matured a lot in the last four or fve months. She’s actually in her best form right now. We’re excited about that, and we love the Bonde-Smith combo.”

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