Grand Slam Smile © Benoit Photo
Grand Slam Smile battles Issa Court down the lane to take the $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths Sunday at Del Mar going seven furlongs for California-bred or sired filles and mares, three-years-old and up.
With Issa Court and Hector Berrios leading the field of seven to the top of the stretch, favored Grand Slam Smile and William Antongeorgi III tracked the leader in second to the far turn, put her head in front passing the sixteenth pole, and pulled away from Issa Court to win by 1 ¼ lengths. Issa Court (11-1) finished second by 4 ¾ lengths in front of No Cap (7-1) who was on the rail in third throughout, kicked on at the eighth pole, but could not keep up with the dueling pair in midstretch settled for third by a half-length over Hot Girl Walk. The winner of the California Distaff, Sneaker (4-1), traveled mid pack throughout but weakened going into the stretch to finish last.
"Sneaker is a great filly she beat us last time, and the time before on the turf. She's as game as they come, but Grand Slam Smile, she's proven on the dirt.” Said Antongeorgi “I thought the race was playing into our hand today, we had speed, and to be honest I thought we were going to be on the lead but the outside horse (Issa Court) pressed us up to the lead. She's a versatile filly, on the lead or off of it, on dirt or off. She is such a classy horse."
A switch back to dirt off of three consecutive turf races, Grand Slam Smile proved to be as versatile as always since coming to the Sean McCarthy barn. The Betty Grable is the sixth stakes win for the four-year-old Smiling Tiger filly. With the win she has improved her record to 16-9-6-1 with $753,120 in earnings for her owners/breeders Mr. and Mrs. Larry D Williams.
Fractions on the race were 22:45, 45.41, 1:09.86 and 1:22.34.
Grand Slam Smile returned $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10, trained by Bob Hess, Jr. Issa Court paid $7.20, $3.80. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli for trainer Brian Koriner, No Cap returned $4.00.
Live racing resumes with an eight-race card on Friday, first post time 12:30 P.M.
WILLIAM ANTONGEORGI III (Grand Slam Smile - Winner) – “She bottles that energy up and when the gates open up she gives it all. She is pretty push button, you just got to contain it and wait for the right move, whether that’s on the lead or right of it. I ended up working her one morning, because Frank Alvarado had left to Seattle, so I inherited her. Sean knew I was getting to know her in the mornings, she’s a little bit of a quirky filly, on her toes. (When she gets like that) she gets game ready. He entrusted me with her, to get to know her and it went on from there. And now, I feel like we have a good team together.
“Sneaker is a great filly she beat us last time, and the time before on the turf. She’s as game as they come, but Grand Slam Smile, she’s proven on the dirt. I thought the race was playing into our hand today, we had speed, and to be honest I thought we were going to be on the lead but the outside horse (Issa Court) pressed us up to the lead. She’s a versatile filly, on the lead or off of it, on dirt or off. She is such a classy horse.”
SEAN MCCARTHY (Grand Slam Smile, winner) – “I told Billy (Antongeorgi) just mind the half mile. I don’t care if you’re in front or you’re fifth, just give me a nice half mile pace and he did. She was on the backstretch cruising along nice, her ears twitching back and forth. They get to about the 3/8’s pole and the two of them are starting to shake loose and I could tell Billy wasn’t asking yet and then they got to the quarter pole and Billy started getting after Issa Court not letting her get away. This filly is just so game.”