Derek's Smile Leads Every Step of Texas Glitter

Given his cue from the gate by jockey Paco Lopez, Derek’s Smile broke running and led every step of the way, dismissing a challenge from long shot Apache Brave at the top of the stretch and holding off late-running Uncle B for a three-quarter length victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Texas Glitter.

Favored at even-money in a field of seven 3-year-olds, George Hall's homebred Derek’s Smile ($4.20) turned back in his return to the turf and rebounded from being eased and walked off after dueling for the lead in the seven-furlong Swale (G2) Feb. 4.

The winning time was 55.77 seconds over a firm turf course. A stakes winner on Polytrack making his grass debut, Uncle B was three-quarters of a length ahead of Apache Brave in third, followed by Squadron, Tres Huevos, Jersey Stree and White Smoke.

It was the second win in as many tries sprinting on turf for Derek’s Smile, who broke his maiden on dirt last summer at Parx before coming back with a 2 ½-length victory over winners Dec. 30 at Gulfstream.

Lopez was aboard for the first time in the Texas Glitter, though he has been a regular workmate for the sophomore son of Brother Derek in the mornings.

“When you have Paco on … you leave a little bit of the judgment up to Paco,” winning trainer Kelly Breen said. “The only thing I reiterated to him was when he won the allowance race here earlier in the meet, he did jump the tire tracks at about the sixteenth pole. We did put a big ol’ shadow roll on him.

“I’m not going to say I saw him at the top of the stretch and his ears were pricked up and I said, ‘I hope he’s not looking at anything,’” he added. “I was just happy that he kept on running. He beat a nice group of horses. I know [Uncle B] ran a great race running at us. We were just happy to be back in the winner’s circle with him because I think he’s a really nice, talented horse.”

Derek’s Smile rocketed from the gate and gained quick separation from his rivals before being flanked by Apache Brave and White Smoke after blazing through an opening quarter-mile in 21.32 seconds. White Smoke tailed off but Apache Brave continued on after a half in 44.00 and hung with Derek’s Smile as the two turned for home.

Apache Brave was unable to stay with Derek’s Smile down the stretch but Uncle B, having recovered from an early bump and having to steady, rallied with a steady late drive for second as Lopez wrapped up on the winner.

“He broke so well. I told Kelly, the horse needed a shorter distance,” Lopez said. “I sent him a little bit. The first time he ran on the grass, he won easy. Today I let him go and let him get very comfortable, and at the top of the stretch I knew I had a lot of horse.”

Morticia Buries Competition in $75,000 Melody of Colors

G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s Morticia, favored at 2-1 in just her third career start and first in a stakes, went straight to the lead and never looked back to capture the $75,000 Melody of Colors for 3-year-old fillies.

Ridden by Jose Lezcano for trainer Rusty Arnold, Morticia ($6.80) was chased from start to finish by Attyia but kept her at bay, completing five furlongs in 55.07 seconds to win by three-quarters of a length.

It was five lengths back to late-running 20-1 long shot Fields of Song, who edged Grizzel for third, with Unaquoi finishing fifth.

A gay daughter of Twirling Candy co-bred by Humphrey and Arnold, Morticia broke sharply from Post 6 in the field of eight and rolled to the lead through a quarter-mile in 21.26 seconds and a half in 43.37 with Attyia and Irish Fix in closest pursuit. Morticia continued to race strongly in front and defiantly held off Attyia down the stretch as the top two opened up on their rivals.

“I told [Lezcano] to lay off the speed, but when you ride a good rider they make the decision to do the right thing,” Arnold said. “She broke running and went right on. It looked like she was doing it all on her own.”

Morticia, out of the Mr. Greeley mare Halloween Party, raced once as a 2-year-old finishing sixth in an off-the-grass sprint at Ellis Park. She did not return until breaking her maiden in a five-furlong turf dash Jan. 14 at Gulfstream.

“Her mother was a miler and I think she will eventually stretch out,” Arnold said. “We put her in at Ellis Park and it came off the turf. She bucked her shins after that and we gave her time off. We came back here and there was a five-eighths on the turf and she won it, so this race just fell perfect, six weeks later. I think I will stretch her out, I don't think she is a five-eighths horse.”

Source: Gulfstream Park