Smoken Wicked

Louisiana-bred Smoken Wicked won his career debut June 1, 2024, by a dominant 7 ½ lengths sprinting 4 ½ furlongs at Evangeline Downs. He was then transferred to trainer Dallas Stewart, and ran well when elevated up to stakes competition at Churchill Downs and Saratoga, finishing second in the Bashford Manor Stakes, third in the Saratoga Special Stakes, and fourth in the Hopeful Stakes.

The Bobby’s Wicked One colt finished a distant fourth in the one-mile Champagne Stakes in October at Belmont at the Big A but was then shortened back to sprint distances and impressively won his final three starts as a 2-year-old, including two state-bred stakes at Fair Grounds.

Smoken Wicked’s connections tried him one more time in a Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve prep race to start off his 3-year-old campaign, but the colt finished last in the Rebel Stakes. Then he was shortened up again to sprints and finished second in two out of his next three starts, both stakes races in Kentucky.

In July, Smoken Wicked was shipped back to Saratoga for a start in the July 25 Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes Presented by Albany Med Health System. Facing a competitive field, he pressed the early pace set by Grade 2 winner and favorite Macho Music and took over at will entering the stretch, drawing clear under Brian Hernandez Jr. to dominate the 6 ½-furlong race.