Smart Transition takes Curlin but Gangster steals the show

The feature event at Saratoga on Friday was the $100,000 Curlin S., which featured both Stanford and Tekton.

However, Smart Transition proved better than those two, and everyone else, when drawing off in the 1 1/8-mile contest by 4 3/4 lengths.

The John Shirreffs trainee produced plenty of buzz with the win under Junior Alvarado, which he accomplished in 1:50.40 over the fast main track.

Smart Transition was content to track behind Stanford, Battle Midway and Tekton, who were racing nearly in tandem not far away in front. Set down by Alvarado nearing the turn, the bay colt easily avoided Battle Midway as that one began backing up fast on the inside, took over on the outside and pulled away to earn his first stakes victory.

Smart Transition added just a second career win to his resume in this spot, which was his second straight stakes attempt after making his black-type bow a fourth-placing in the Dwyer S. (G3) on Independence Day.

The Kentucky-bred won the Curlin impressively and now seems bound for the $1.25 million Travers S. (G1) on August 29 going 10 furlongs at the Spa. A beaming Shirreffs wouldn’t confirm it in the after-race interview, but he also didn’t rule it out either.