SMOKIN JOE LEAVES THE FIELD IN ASHES

Smokin Joe takes the field, “From flag fall to that’s all!” Photo courtesy Jeff Zamaiko

Hard luck has been following Smokin Joe all season, and it looks like jockey Luis Rivera figured a way to shake it off. You can’t get in trouble if your in front, and that’s exactly where Rivera placed him right out of the gate in Monday’s 6-furlong $35,800 Accredited Ohio bred Allowance race. No one held the door open for Rivera, after getting a slight lead they were lapped outside of him four across the track. He shook them all off (including the odds-on favorite) and pulled away with Rivera leaving a little something in the tank.

The Mike Rone trainee is a 3-year-old gelded son of Mobil and was bred by Mapleton Farm, racing for HMDC and Taste of Victory Stable. He now sports a record of 8-2-1-3 for $64,987and may have a new running style to get to that winner’s circle.