The resurgence of the Oliver Goldsmith stable continued at Laurel Park yesterday when Miss Slewpy easily defeated older fillies and mares in the Grade III Carousel Stakes.
The Goldsmith homebred strengthened her bid for year-end Maryland-bred honors by exploding through a hole along the rail and drew off in stakes record time to a seven-length victory over Double Sixes.
L The favored Buffels was a half-length further back in third.
Although Miss Slewpy completed the nine furlongs in 1 minute, 49 1/5 seconds, nearly two seconds off the track mark, it was faster than the nine previous runnings of the Carousel.
Her rider, Larry Reynolds, said that once Miss Slewpy got the lead, "she was loafing in the stretch" and he used his whip to maintain momentum.
The filly carried from 8 to 3 pounds fewer than her competitors.
"I guess it's time to go looking for trouble," Goldsmith said, indicating he and trainer Ron Cartwright could take the filly to Aqueduct or other tracks this winter to search for added stakes opportunities.
Miss Slewpy is a late-season development. She didn't reach the races until midway through her 3-year-old season. "She was immature and we wanted to give her added time," Cartwright said.
By the time Miss Slewpy reached stakes competition 10 days ago, she defeated Cherokee Wonder and former Maryland-bred 3-year-old filly division leader, Churchbell Chimes, in the Anne Arundel Stakes. She came out of that race in such good shape that Cartwright put her in yesterday's $75,000 race.
"She bounced back, and bounced in the right direction," Goldsmith said.
Miss Slewpy is by the former Kentucky stallion, Slewpy, who now stands at stud in California. Although the son of Seattle Slew made his mark by running in distance races, he has sired top sprinters such as Breeders' Cup Sprint winner, Thirty Slews as well as such other fast male runners as Mr. Nickerson and Gray Slewpy.
Miss Slewpy is the third and final foal from Goldsmith's Maryland Million Distaff winner, Capp It Off. The mare died from a severe form of colic a couple of years ago.
Miss Slewpy was one of three winners that Cartwright saddled on yesterday's card. His other winners were Hi Earl and Ygerne in the first and sixth races, respectively. Cartwright previously won the Carousel Stakes with another Goldsmith runner, Mymet, in 1991.
Smart Alec goes out a winner
The Wylie Tuttle family of Rock Hall have gotten their wish.
The Tuttles wanted to retire their 6-year-old horse, Smart Alec, on a winning note, and that's exactly what happened at the Meadowlands on Friday night.
Smart Alec won the Chief Pennekeck Stakes in a dead heat with Distinct Reality, equally splitting the $40,000 first- and second-place prize money.
Smart Alec will be honored in a retirement ceremony at Laurel on Saturday and then will be sent to stud at Elberton Hill Farm in Darlington.
Miscellaneous
Jerry Bailey could be at Laurel on Saturday to ride Robert Meyerhoff's Special Broad in the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship. . . . Graded stakes winner Jolly Saint, in foal to Ends Well, and the young stakes producing mare Saratoga Warning, are among the 258 horses cataloged for sale today at the Fasig-Tipton bloodstock auction at the Timonium Fairgrounds. . . . Laurel/Pimlico management is receptive to the idea of running both the Tri-State Futurity and the West Virginia Breeders' Classic races at the Maryland tracks if the Charles Town Races shut down in 1995. . . . Maryland-bred colt Cryptic Bid, a double-winner at Aqueduct, might ship to Laurel on Saturday for the Maryland Juvenile Colt Championship.