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emiliana

RIP Jack Smolenski

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Very sad to hear this news. I met Jack many times over the years and viewed him with great respect.

 

The first NZ Cup I can recall watching was the 1973 Cup won of course by Arapaho for trainer-driver Jack Smolenski

 

http://www.themet.co.nz/Timeline.asp?Case=6&ItemId=441&AlphaId=1&CategoryId=1

 

Gina Marie was a very nice mare for Jack in the mid 70's as was her outstanding daughter Gina Rosa in the mid 80's.

 

I also recall just how good Jack was at getting horses away from a standing start. He'd often win races by the fact his trained horses were always such brilliant beginners from a stand. In saying that not even Jack could get the mighty Lord Module away at the start of NZ Cup about 33 years ago when that great horse put on his "mule" impersonation at the start of the cup. Cecil Devine won many NZ Cups but if he wasn't going to drive the brilliant horse then top of the list to take over was Jack Smolenski.

 

If there is a heaven then I can imagine who Jack will be catching up with.

 

Jack will be missed and remembered as a legend in the harness industry.

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RIP Jack....a fine horseman over many years. Throughout the 70's and 80's he was among our best and one of the few drivers from that era in the '1000' win club and possibly in the top 'dozen' ever for training wins. Speedy Guest was another top performer and there was a period where he could line up to 3 horses in the 'main race'...I think Vanadium was with him for a while. I think he learned his trade under CCDevine ,hence the Lord Module connection. Seemed a real nice guy !!!

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I, also, would like to extend my sympathy to the family and friends of Jack Smolenski.

A harness racing legend has passed, that's for sure.

 

A relatively early recollection of Mr Smolenski I have is his trifecta-ing of the Easter Cup when that race was one of the most sought-after on the harness racing calendar.

 

He also "did the double" with Arapaho, winning the NZ and Auckland Cups in the same season.

 

All the best to his family and friends at this time.

Ashoka

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http://www.heavenaddress.com/John-Joseph-Warren-%28Jack%29-Smolenski/432308/obituary

 

http://www.heavenaddress.com/John-Joseph-Warren-%28Jack%29-Smolenski/432308/

 

http://www.heavenaddress.com/John-Joseph-Warren-%28Jack%29-Smolenski/432308/service_details

 

John Joseph Warren (Jack) Smolenski
Passed away on 7 February 2013
Aged 78 years

A Memorial Service for Jack will be held in the Members Stand, Addington Raceway, on Wednesday, February 13, at 3.00 p.m

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