Kentucky Downs: Get Smokin looks for repeat win in Turf Cup

A year ago, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse didn’t know what to expect when he ran Get Smokin in the Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs.

It was Harlan Malter of Ironhorse Racing Stable, which owns the horse with several partners, who floated the idea of putting Get Smokin into the 1 1/2-mile race. Uncharted waters, for sure, as the son of Get Stormy had never tried it before.

All Get Smokin did that day was gun to the lead and never stop, upsetting the 11-horse field at the tune of 19-1odds.

He’s back.

Get Smokin, now 7, is taking aim at a repeat as he will run in the $2 million Turf Cup on Saturday. The past champ did not get a ton of respect on the morning line as he is listed as 12-1 in the field of 12.

“He comes and he plays hard every time,” Casse said by phone as he and wife Tina were driving from Saratoga to Lexington this week. “We are definitely confident.”

Get Smokin will make his 30th career start on Saturday and will be ridden by Fernando De La Cruz. He tuned up for this by winning the United Nations (G2) at Monmouth on July 20, his second start of 2024. Before that he was fourth in the Eclipse Stakes (G2) at Woodbine on June 1.

The Eclipse was his first start since the Turf Cup last year. Plans to run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita were aborted when Casse didn’t like the way Get Smokin was training and sent him back to his farm in Ocala, Fla.

It was there where the gelding had minor surgery on both front ankles and that kept him on the equine disabled list. All the while, Casse felt sure his war horse would make it back to the races.

“Never doubted it,” he said. “We deal with this all the time. Cindy Black (head of rehabilitation at Casse’s Training Center) has been with us for over 30 years and does a great job. I was pretty confident.”

Having older horses excel in the barn is nothing new to Casse.

He has an 8-year-old, Filo Di Arianna, who has won two straight Grade 2 races at Woodbine.

“The key to it is that we run them sparingly, we give them time,” Casse said. “I have always said they are our kids and, the longer you have them around …”

When Get Smokin and De La Cruz head to the post on Saturday, there will be no secrets. They will go to the lead and run as fast and as far as they can. Last year, it was all the way to the winner’s circle.

This year, Casse did not need any prodding from his owner to try this spot. He expects his veteran to run a big race.

“His last race (United Nations) was as good as any race he has run,” Casse said, “especially coming off only one prior start in seven months. He is good. He is a happy horse.”