Smile (USA)
March 26, 1982 – June 4, 1997
In Reality (USA) x Sunny Smile (USA), by Boldnesian (USA)
Family 8-a
March 26, 1982 – June 4, 1997
In Reality (USA) x Sunny Smile (USA), by Boldnesian (USA)
Family 8-a
Smile was no beauty contest winner and was more a miler than a sprinter, but he earned a sprint title on the strength of his win in the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (USA-G1). He was a disappointing stallion primarily remembered today as the broodmare sire of Smarty Jones, an extremely popular horse and the American champion 3-year-old male of 2004.
Race record
27 starts, 14 wins, 4 seconds, 3 thirds, US$1,664,027
1984:
1985:
1986:
1987:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1985, 3 pounds below champion Chief’s Crown.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1985, 10 pounds below champion Spend a Buck.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American male sprinters of 1986, 1 pound below Phone Trick.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown horse with crooked legs and less than ideal feet, Smile stood 15.3 hands. He had excellent natural speed which he could carry up to 9 furlongs. He underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to remove chips from both knees after completing his sweep of the Florida Stallion Stakes series.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Smile sired 147 winners (53.1%) and 11 stakes winners (4.0%) from 277 named foals. None of his foals came remotely close to matching his own ability.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny of daughters
Smarty Jones (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Smile was bred and owned by Frances A. Genter Stable. He was trained by Frank Gomez at 3 and by Scotty Schulhofer at 3 and up. He was ridden to his win in the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Sprint by Jacinto Vasquez. Smile entered stud in Florida in 1987 at Tartan Farms in 1987, moving to Gainesway Farm, Kentucky, for the 1989-1993 Northern Hemisphere seasons. Following the 1993 season, he was sold to Bill Hannah and moved again, this time to McDermott Ranch, Texas, where he died of complications of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) on June 4, 1997.
Pedigree notes
Smile is inbred 4x5 to 1935 American Horse of the Year Discovery. He is a full brother to 1984 Sheridan Stakes (USA-G2) winner Sunshine Today and to Smiling Dee, dam of juvenile stakes winner Gallo di Ferro (by Deputy Minister). Smile is a half brother to Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner Charging Through (by Native Charger) and Swedish listed stakes winner Makhraj (by Gulch).
Smile is out of the winner Sunny Smile, whose full sister My Mother Mary is the dam of multiple stakes winner Incubator (by Solo Landing) and Venezuelan stakes winners Ciboulette (by Riva Ridge) and Clochard (by Burgeon). Produced from multiple stakes winner Sunny Sal (by 1963 Grey Lag Handicap winner Sunrise County), Sunny Smile is also a half sister to stakes winner Distant Memories (by In Reality). Sunny Sal, in turn, is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Crimson Nimrod (by Crimson Satan) and to Sister Maggie (by Cornish Prince), dam of multiple stakes winner Riflery (by Turkey Shoot).
Sunny Sal was produced from the First Landing mare San Salvador, who was unplaced in her only start. The family came over to North America with San Salvador’s dam Souffle (by 1950 English/Irish champion sire Fair Trial), who was produced from Luncheon, a daughter of 1937 English champion older male Precipitation.
Books and media
Footage of Smile’s win in the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqiFxUaFRsY.
Fun facts
Last updated: October 29, 2023
Race record
27 starts, 14 wins, 4 seconds, 3 thirds, US$1,664,027
1984:
- Won In Reality Stakes (USA-R, 8.5FD, Calder)
- Won Affirmed Stakes (USA-L, 7FD, Calder)
- Won Dr. Fager Stakes (USA-R, 6FD, Calder)
- Won Criterium Stakes (second division) (USA, 5.5FD, Calder)
1985:
- Won Arlington Classic Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Fairmount Derby (USA-G3, 9FD, Fairmount Park; new track record 1:49)
- Won Carry Back Stakes (USA-L, 7FD, Calder)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Sprint Stakes (USA-G1, 6FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Sheridan Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Arlington Park)
- 3rd American Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Arlington Park)
1986:
- Won Breeders' Cup Sprint (USA-G1, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Equipoise Mile Handicap (USA-G3, 8FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Canterbury Cup Handicap (USA-L, 9FD, Canterbury Park; equaled track record 1:48)
- 3rd Cornhusker Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Ak-Sar-Ben)
1987:
- 2nd Tropical Park Breeders' Cup Handicap (USA-L, 9.5FD, Calder)
Honors
- Eclipse Award, American champion sprinter (1986)
- Florida-bred champion 3-year-old male (1985)
- Florida-bred champion sprinter (1986)
Assessments
Rated at 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1985, 3 pounds below champion Chief’s Crown.
Rated at 117 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1985, 10 pounds below champion Spend a Buck.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American male sprinters of 1986, 1 pound below Phone Trick.
As an individual
A dark bay or brown horse with crooked legs and less than ideal feet, Smile stood 15.3 hands. He had excellent natural speed which he could carry up to 9 furlongs. He underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to remove chips from both knees after completing his sweep of the Florida Stallion Stakes series.
As a stallion
According to statistics compiled by The Jockey Club, Smile sired 147 winners (53.1%) and 11 stakes winners (4.0%) from 277 named foals. None of his foals came remotely close to matching his own ability.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 4th on the American broodmare sire list in 2004.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 9th on the American broodmare sire list in 2004.
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 9th on the American broodmare sire list in 2004.
Notable progeny of daughters
Smarty Jones (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Smile was bred and owned by Frances A. Genter Stable. He was trained by Frank Gomez at 3 and by Scotty Schulhofer at 3 and up. He was ridden to his win in the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Sprint by Jacinto Vasquez. Smile entered stud in Florida in 1987 at Tartan Farms in 1987, moving to Gainesway Farm, Kentucky, for the 1989-1993 Northern Hemisphere seasons. Following the 1993 season, he was sold to Bill Hannah and moved again, this time to McDermott Ranch, Texas, where he died of complications of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) on June 4, 1997.
Pedigree notes
Smile is inbred 4x5 to 1935 American Horse of the Year Discovery. He is a full brother to 1984 Sheridan Stakes (USA-G2) winner Sunshine Today and to Smiling Dee, dam of juvenile stakes winner Gallo di Ferro (by Deputy Minister). Smile is a half brother to Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner Charging Through (by Native Charger) and Swedish listed stakes winner Makhraj (by Gulch).
Smile is out of the winner Sunny Smile, whose full sister My Mother Mary is the dam of multiple stakes winner Incubator (by Solo Landing) and Venezuelan stakes winners Ciboulette (by Riva Ridge) and Clochard (by Burgeon). Produced from multiple stakes winner Sunny Sal (by 1963 Grey Lag Handicap winner Sunrise County), Sunny Smile is also a half sister to stakes winner Distant Memories (by In Reality). Sunny Sal, in turn, is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Crimson Nimrod (by Crimson Satan) and to Sister Maggie (by Cornish Prince), dam of multiple stakes winner Riflery (by Turkey Shoot).
Sunny Sal was produced from the First Landing mare San Salvador, who was unplaced in her only start. The family came over to North America with San Salvador’s dam Souffle (by 1950 English/Irish champion sire Fair Trial), who was produced from Luncheon, a daughter of 1937 English champion older male Precipitation.
Books and media
Footage of Smile’s win in the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqiFxUaFRsY.
Fun facts
- Smile was the first colt to sweep the Florida Stallion Stakes series for 2-year-olds, winning the three races (the Dr. Fager Stakes, the Affirmed Stakes, and the In Reality Stakes) by a total of 13 lengths.
- Smile was entered for both the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Mile (USA-G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, but his connections opted for the Sprint due to concerns about encountering a large field and tight turns in the Mile.
- Smile is the namesake for the Smile Sprint Stakes, a Grade 3 race contested over 6 furlongs at Gulfstream Park.
Last updated: October 29, 2023