Real Smart posts G3 Dick Memorial victory

From a Delaware Park release

Bjorn Nielsen’s Real Smart notched her first career stake victory in the $200,000 Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park today.

With Edgar Prado aboard, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Smart Strike won by 2-lengths and she covered the mile and three-eighths in 2:16.10 over a firm course. The even-money favorite in the field of seven, Photo Call with Alex Cintron, finished second. It was another 1 ¼-lengths further back to Swear by It, with Eric Cancel, in third.

Suffused, the 5-2 morning line second choice, had to be scratched when Lasix was not administered to her in a timely fashion.

This was third start by Real Smart for trainer H. Graham Motion. In her North America debut she won a mile and a quarter allowance and she followed by finishing third in a mile and an eighth allowance. Both of those outings were at Belmont Park. Last year, she raced in England. Her career record is three wins from nine starts with earnings of $187,000.

Motion has now won seven of the twenty renewals of the Robert Dick – he won in 1999 with Bursting Forth, in 2002 with New Economy, in 2003 & 2004 with Alternate, in 2007 with Rosinka and 2009 with Caprice.

“I thought she would really suit the distance of the race and I thought her last race, although a lost, was better than her first,” said trainer H. Graham Motion. “I was very encouraged by her coming into the race and we have been pretty lucky in this race, so we are pretty happy about continuing our success with the filly and in the race.”

The card also featured a pair of supporting, $50,000 stakes.  In the six furlong Dashing Beauty, for distaffers, Claudio Gonzalez trainee Sweet On Smokey ran down Disco Chick in the late stages to post a head victory under jockey Daniel Centeno.  In the 1 1/2 mile Cape Henlopen, longshot Renown and jockey Angel Cruz narrowly bested Street Fashion for trainer Elizabeth Voss.  Renown paid $23.80 to win.