Horse Racing

The TJ Smith is the premier event for two-year-olds at the annual Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival. Held on the highly anticipated Stradbroke Handicap Day in June at Eagle Farm Racecourse, this Group 1 race is run over a middle distance of 1600m under set weight conditions. Worth $500,000 it is one of the most lucrative races conducted by the Brisbane Racing Club, and shares the day with other fantastic group races including the Group 1 $1million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m), Queensland Derby (2400m) and the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m).

There are a number of quality races the two-year-old runners in The TJ Smith may have contested earlier including the Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) the week before. The Sires Produce Stakes / TJ Smith is a popular betting double at the carnival and horses that have won both races include Lovely Jubly (2002), Juanmo (2001), Al Mansour (1997), Anthems (1996), Mahogany (1993) and Slight Chance (1992).

Many TJ Smith winners and placegetters will continue on to bigger and better races later in their careers.

The TJ Smith 2012 will be run on Saturday June 9th at Eagle Farm.

The TJ Smith History

First run in 1897, the event was originally known as the Claret Stakes and Common won the inaugural race. The event is now named after legendary trainer Tommy Smith.

The TJ Smith began as a principal race run over six furlongs but was increased to seven furlongs in 1905. The race was not held between 1942 and 1945 but recommenced in 1946 under the same conditions. Nearly a decade later the race distance was increased to eight furlongs before changing to the metric conversion of 1600m in 1973. Not long after in 1980 the event reached Group 2 status before finally being elevated to its current Group 1 status in 1985.

Just A Printer holds the race record of 1:33.0 set in 1994.

Recent TJ Smith Winners