BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Claimed in April for $8,000 by trainer Michael V. Simone and owner Jane Perry, Florida-bred Micanopy wore down front-running odds-on favorite Ponder and Dream in the final furlong to win the $200,000 Smarty Jones (Listed) at Parx Racing Tuesday afternoon. Six 3-year-olds went a mile-and-one-sixteenth in the Smarty Jones.
In addition to earning the $119,400 winner’s share of the purse, Micanopy picked up a $4,000 Export Incentive for breeders Brent and Crystal Fernung for the out-of-state stakes win. The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association administers the Export Incentive program that is capped at $1 million for 2026.
Ponder and Dream set the pace in the Smarty Jones, leading by a length-and-a-half through a half mile in :47.65 as Micanopy and jockey Samuel Marin raced three lengths back in fourth. Marin steered Micanopy to the outside around the far turn passing Star Sweeper and Freedom’s Echo to target Ponder and Dream, who was still alone on the lead. Micanopy got to Ponder and Dream with a sixteenth of a mile to the finish and drew clear late to win by a length-and-a-half in final time of 1:43.78 on the fast track. Ponder and Dream was second with Freedom’s Echo eight-and-a-half lengths farther back in third. Star Sweeper, Tifosi and Very Volatile completed the order of finish.
Micanopy paid $12 to win as the 5-1 third choice in the wagering.
After the claim at Tampa Bay Downs, Simone took Micanopy to Delaware Park for his next three starts.
He won a $20,000 optional claiming starter allowance by three-and-a-quarter lengths on May 28 before finishing second in a first condition, $75,000 optional claiming going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass on June 13. Simone put him back on dirt for his last race on July 24 and he finished fourth in a first condition allowance going a mile-and-70 yards.
Micanopy has now won four of 10 starts with two seconds and has earned $205,620. He is by Uncle Chuck out of Golden Horseshoe, by Belong to Me and passed before the auctioneers at the 2025 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale but did not meet his reserve.
He is a half-brother to stakes-winning Florida-bred Princess Secret and stakes-placed Epic Journey. Golden Horseshoe has seven winners from 10 starters and 12 foals. She has an unraced 2-year-old filly, Florida-bred Mona Lisa, by St Patrick’s Day.
Note: Micanopy is the third Florida-bred winner of the Smarty Jones joining Axelrod in 2018 and Awesome Slew in 2016.
Return to the August 19 issue of Wire to Wire
