The Smile Sprint Stakes is a Grade III American

Thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

for horses aged three and older over a distance of six

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...

s on the dirt run annually in early July at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...

Hallandale Beach, Florida Hallandale Beach (formerly known simply as Hallandale) is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is named after Luther Halland, the son of a Swedish worker for Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad. As of the 20 ...

History

The race has its origins in what is considered the inaugural running on 8 September 1984 as the Miami Beach Handicap. However, an event with that name was held in 1973 and 1974 but was a two year old race over a distance of a mile. The following year the event was run over a slightly longer distance of 7 furlongs. In 1989 the event was run over 6 furlongs and in 1992 the event was run over a distance of a furlongs. In 1993 the event was renamed to the Miami Beach Sprint Handicap. In 1999 the event was renamed to the Smile Sprint Handicap to honor Frances A. Genter Stable's Florida-bred colt,

Smile A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. Some smiles include a contraction of the muscles at the corner of the eyes, an action known as a Duchenne smile. Among humans, a smile expresses ...

. As a two-year-old in 1984, Smile became the first horse to win all three races in the Florida Stallion Stakes series at Calder Race Course. He went on to win the 1986

Breeders' Cup Sprint The Breeders' Cup Sprint is an American Weight for Age Grade I Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older. Run on dirt Corrected grade for Santa Anita sprintover a distance of 6 Furlongs ( mile), the race has been held annually si ...

and was voted that year's

American Champion Sprint Horse The American Champion Sprint Horse award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor. Created in 1947, in 1971 it became part of the Eclipse Awards program and is awarded annually to the top horse in sprint races (usually those run at a distance ...

. In 2003, the event was upgraded to Grade III status by the

Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association {{short description, Organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders The American Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) based in Lexington, Kentucky is a trade organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders. ...

and carried a $500,000 purse. Two years later the event was upgraded again to Grade II. At times the event was part of the

Breeders' Cup Challenge The Breeders' Cup Challenge is a series of Thoroughbred horse races in which the winner earns an automatic spot in a specified Breeders' Cup race. The challenge races change somewhat each year. The Challenge series began in 2007 with 24 "Win and Yo ...

series, with the winner automatically qualifying for the

. In 2014 the event was not held and after negotiations between Calder Race Track and Gulfstream Park the event was moved to Gulfstream Park. The event was modified to the Smile Sprint Stakes for the 2015 running when the conditions of the event were changed from handicap to stakes allowance. In 2017 the event was downgraded back to Grade III. Since 2021 the event has been an invitational event.

Records

Speed record: *6 furlongs: – 1:08.82 Cool Arrow (2020) *7 furlongs: – 1:21.82 Constant Escort (1996) Margins: * lengths – Shake You Down (2003) Most wins: * No horse has won this race more than once. Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

: * 2 – Ricardo D. Lopez (1992, 1993) * 2 – Wigberto Ramos (1994, 1998) * 2 – Mike Smith (2002, 2005) * 2 –

Eibar Coa Eibar Coa Monteverde (born February 15, in Venezuela) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. Coa was born and raised in Venezuela A five-time Judo Champion in his teens, He attended jockey school from 1989 to 1991 then began his pr ...

(1999, 2010) * 2 –

Javier Castellano Javier Castellano (born October 23, 1977, in Maracaibo, Zulia State, Venezuela) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. Castellano began his riding career in 1996 at Santa Rita and La Rinconada racecourses in Venezuela. In June 1997 he ...

(2000, 2017) * 2 – Emisael Jaramillo (2016, 2018) Most wins by a trainer: * 3 – David Fawkes (2000, 2010, 2013) Most wins by an owner: * No owner has won this race more than once.

Winners

''Notes:''
ƒ Filly or Mare

References

{{reflist, 2 Graded stakes races in the United States Grade 3 stakes races in the United States Open sprint category horse races Horse races in Florida Recurring sporting events established in 1984 Gulfstream Park 1984 establishments in Florida

History

Records

Winners

See also

References