Racing Roundup : Smile Wins by 7 1/2 Lengths at Arlington

Smile regained his winning touch when he raced to a 7 1/2-length victory in the 54th running of the $192,500 Arlington Classic Saturday at Chicago’s Arlington Park.

Smile was rushed to the lead by jockey Jacinto Vasquez, was never headed over the sloppy track, and pulled away in the stretch for his seventh victory in eight starts.

Red Attack was second before a crowd of 17,850, and Clever Allemont took third in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds.

Smile paid $3.80 to win and was timed in 1:51 1/5. Two weeks ago, Smile finished three-quarters of a length behind Banner Bob in Arlington’s Sheridan Stakes at one mile. It was Smile’s first loss.

The Arlington Classic is the first leg of the Mid-America Triple, which also includes the American Derby and Secretariat Stakes. Smile can earn a $1-million bonus for owner-breeder Frances Genter of Minneapolis by winning all three.

Smile earned $114,000 for his sixth stakes victory. All of the other wins came at the Calder track in Miami. The Florida-bred son of In Reality has earned $571,600.

Peter Fuller’s Mom’s Command took an early lead and charged through the stretch for a 5 1/2-length victory over Le L’Argent in the $183,000 Mother Goose Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.

The win gave the New England-based filly two-thirds of the New York Racing Assn.’s Filly Triple Crown. She won the one-mile Acorn and can wrap it up with the 1 1/2-mile Coaching Club American Oaks July 6.

Ridden by the owner’s daughter, Abigail Fuller, Mom’s Command moved to the lead after about an eighth of a mile and set fast fractions in completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 3/5 on a fast track. Mom’s Command paid $4.80 to win.

Le L’Argent, ridden by Gary Stevens, took second by a neck over Willowy Mood, a 70-1 shot.

Skip Trial, ridden by Jean-Luc Samyn, overtook Encolure in the final turn to win the $200,000 Ohio Derby by 4 1/2 lengths at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio.

The 3-year-old colt took the 51st running of the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:49 in showery and fast conditions.

Skip Trial paid $8.40 to win.

Jockey Eddie Maple moved Carr de Naskra to the lead in midstretch and scored a one-length victory over My Habitony in the $150,000-added Carry Back Handicap under the lights at Garden State Park in Cherry Hill, N.J.