I Love Your Smile served notice she can play a hand in the winter classics when running right through the line over 1700m at Belmont on Wednesday.
The 3yo Sebring filly had won a Northam mile maiden on May 10 and came from well off the pace to win the Peter Pan Milk Bar Hcp (1700m) from Adelante (Smart Missile) and Floppy (Helmet).
“We have always though she would be suited in a race like the Belmont Oaks,” trainer-jockey Lucy Fiore said. “She jumps well but doesn’t have any early speed. I thought we might land four back but the speed was on and we were about six back and getting further away.
“I left her alone and that helped her wind up late. She will stay all day.”
I Love Your Smile is owned by Lucy’s father Justin Warwick and her mother Carol looked after the filly when Lucy and Brandon Fiore went on their honeymoon to Bora Bora earlier this month.
A Listed Belmont Oaks (2000m) victory on Saturday, July 1 would be another black-type strike for Gold Front Thoroughbreds this season following Awesome John (G2 WATC Derby), Red Sun Sensation (G3 SAJC Chairman’s Stakes) and Burnya To Survive (LR Bunbury Stakes).
Gold Front’s Alan Olive bred all four and he sold I Love Your Smile to Justin Warwick for $40,000 at the 2021 Perth Magic Millions. Her dam Valentine’s Reward (Reward For Effort) won three times up to 1200m around the Victorian provincials and she was a $115,000 buy for Gold Front at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale
There’s no stamina to speak of in Valentine’s Reward’s pedigree as a half-sister to Grand Duels (Marachel) who won a LR Kensington Stakes and LR Aurie’s Star Stakes down the straight-six at Flemington. Her latest foal is a weanling colt by Gingerbread Man.
Gold Front expat Eason (Written Tycoon) had maintained his consistent form in Hong Kong the previous Wednesday. Trained by Frankie Lor, he has earned the equivalent of AUD 1.38 million for owner Vivian Li Yi Mei.
That was boosted by a PPG Bonus (AUD 195k) in the Victoria Harbour Hcp (1200m) at Happy Valley. In a cliff-hanger finish, he charged late to defeat Howdeepisyourlove (Deep Field) by a short-head.
“He was out the back as usual but was actually travelling quite well,” jockey Alexis Badel reported. “When I squeezed a bit more, he had something to offer but I wasn’t sure he could get there from that position. He responded very well and it was a good win.”
Gold Front had sent Eason to the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale in 2020 where he made $80,000. Initially registered as Whitson Boy, he was sent off-shore after winning a Randwick trial for Mark Newnham in February 2021.