Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith took a minute to remember his very first horse. He recounted his many adventures with a little black pony that his father bought him. The pony was named Stormy and taught him many lessons, as only an ornery Shetland could. Smith said, “Stormy had a ‘little man syndrome.’ I’d saddle him up and ride him after school or any chance I got. I’d learn how to post and how to stay on and not get bounced off.”

Smith wins 2023 Del Mar Debutante on Tamara. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Fast forward to the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar. Smith is the all-time leader in wins (27) at the Breeders’ Cup. Starting in 1990, Smith has given patient and professional Breeders’ Cup rides to some of the all-time greats in horse racing, including Lure, Skip Away, Azeri, Zenyatta, Royal Delta, Songbird, and Arrogate.    

This year, Smith is excited about his scheduled rides on a quartet of amazing competitors.  

Tamara is owned by Spendthrift Farm and is the well-known daughter of Hall of Fame racemare Beholder and sired by Bolt d’Oro. She is trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, who saddled Beholder for her three Breeders’ Cup wins. Mandella said, “Tamara is a very special filly, obviously gifted and a sweetheart to be around. Makes a good match with Mike Smith, who is the superb gentleman and great rider.”

Smith will ride Tamara in the PNC Bank Filly & Mare Sprint.  He has been her jockey in five previous starts, including her win in the 2023 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante Stakes and the recent Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes. She came in seventh in the NetJets Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies in November 2023 and was given some time off.  Smith said after winning the Chillingworth Stakes, “She has certainly filled out a whole lot. Mr. Mandella and his whole crew have done a fabulous job of just giving her time that she needed to come back. She was very eager to leave there [the gate].  Once she hit her left lead, she hit another gear!”

Smith on 2025 Del Mar Debutante winner Bottle of Rouge. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Bottle of Rouge is sired by Vino Rosso of the Bluegrass Cat mare Blues Corner. She is trained by Bob Baffert and owned by his wife, Jill Baffert. Bottle of Rouge will run in the NetJets Juvenile Fillies. They recently won the 75^th edition of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante. It was an emotional win for Jill Baffert, who cried with joy in the winner’s circle. It was Smith’s fourth win in the Debutante, and he had nothing but praise about Bottle of Rouge. “First time I’ve even been on her; never even worked her. I have to thank Jill as she told Bob he had to ride me, she wouldn’t let up. She insisted, so he put me on. Thank you, Jill.  Thank you, Bob.  She ran well today.”

Kopion is a 4-year-old filly who has won four stakes races. She is also sired by Omaha Beach (out of the Victory Gallop mare Galloping Ami). Trained by Mandella and owned by Spendthrift Farm, she is going to race against the boys for the first time in the Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Mandella explained to Michelle Yu on FanDuel TV that he is entering Kopion in the Sprint rather than against her stablemate Tamara in the Filly & Mare Sprint. Smith took Kopion out to the track on Sunday morning with instructions to “liven her up a little bit” for the shorter race.  Mandella told Yu, “She went 33 and [one-fifth] and it looked like 36 [seconds]. She was just galloping. She’s amazing right now.  It’s selfish on my part to run two horses in one race [Tamara and Kopion] to try to guarantee a win. The two fillies are good enough that they deserve to have their own day.”

Smith was geared up after the morning workout and said, “She ran lights out!” He told FanDuel TV’s Yu, “That was a treat and a half. The idea was just to put some speed on her … I pulled her up at the half and jogged her for a little bit.  … I just sat down on her, and she took off like it was a match race – cruising really. I mean she was still very comfortable. It was a rhythm that she could handle very well. I slowed her way down after the wire and tried not to go out too quickly. She still went out in 46 [seconds] and change.” 

Smith is game to race Kopion against the boys. “I’m loving it. Zenyatta beat the boys in the Classic. It would be amazing to beat the boys in the Sprint. She’s got the ability. It all depends on the draw and the trip.  She’s doing extremely well and she’s happy.”   

Nevada Beach, an Omaha Beach colt owned by Mike Pegram, Paul Weitman, and Karl Watson, is entered in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Smith will be riding him for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. They recently teamed to win the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes. After the race, Smith said, “Nevada Beach traveled beautifully. There were different strategies going into this race and Bob told me that he would go every bit of the mile and eighth so to do what I needed to do. I was brave enough to go ahead and push at the end and the horse responded great!”

Smith exercising Omaha Beach, the sire of Nevada Beach. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Baffert was pleased. After the race he said, “We have always been really high on this horse. … Today he showed what he is made of. They were running hard. Turning for home, I thought, ‘Well, this is when you find out what you are really made of.’ He dug in and Mike Smith rode a beautiful race. Mike rode [his sire] Omaha Beach, and I really like Omaha Beach. I think he is going to be a really good sire.”

Smith guided Omaha Beach to Grade 1wins in the Arkansas Derby, Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes, and Malibu Stakes in 2019 as well as a second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He said Nevada Beach loves the track at Del Mar and works well there. “The mile and quarter should be right up his alley!”

When Smith mounts a horse for the first time, he has an internal checklist. “As soon as you warm up, you can feel if they’re heavy or if they’re light on their mouth. It’s about you adjusting to them and not them adjusting to you.”

He explained further: “It’s not as difficult as people think. You can learn from their connections about their little quirks and the little things that they like and dislike. Sometimes you’ve got to find out things on your own during the race. Do they have trouble with the kickback? Not liking to be on the inside or crowded? Claustrophobic? Then when they’re getting comfortable, you feel them just relax and get into a rhythm. That’s the key! Getting the horse into a nice, beautiful rhythm early on. If you do that, they’re going to breathe well and give you what they have. You can feel when they’re happy. When I’ve got them into that happy place with a good rhythm, I’m like ‘it’s going to happen today!’ ”

Smith after winning Goodwood Stakes on Nevada Beach. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Mike Smith is a spiritual man, and he loves horses. After every win, he pauses on the backside to offer his prayers and thanks for “blessing me and for this horse coming back safe. For everyone coming back. The horses are all safe and sound. That’s kind of what I’m praying about; the opportunity and to ride a good race.”

As for his life-long love of horses, Smith said, “They’re just amazing to look at to start. Just so cool and they communicate with you. The little things turn into something so big; it just amazes me all the time how great and beautiful and powerful they are. They’re extremely strong. You have to pay attention. Yet be able to relax and get them to do things. You get a horse to do more through finesse and patience than you do with brute strength. Good hands on a horse means a lot.

“Everything I have in my life is because of horses. I’m not saying I wouldn’t be living if I didn’t have a horse, but I certainly wouldn’t be living like this. With the opportunity to ride these beautiful horses and the feeling that you get from them, there really are no words to describe that feeling. It’s an amazing feeling when you cross the wire first. It’s about getting the horse to do what you want to do. If you ride well, and you got them to give you their all. It’s a good feeling.”

From an ornery Shetland pony named Stormy to the arena of world-class racing, Smith has achieved extraordinary heights from the back of a horse. He is blessed with many great memories. He simply says, “I wouldn’t trade it for nothing.”