Sneaker © Benoit Photo
Top three finishers in the California Distaff Handicap, Sneaker, Grand Slam Smile and Issa Court, are set for a rematch in the $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes for California-bred or sired fillies and mares going seven furlongs Sunday at Del Mar.
Sneaker gained the upper hand on favored Grand Slam Smile in the $100,000 California Distaff Handicap at Santa Anita on October 12th. The pair battled stride for stride down the stretch with Sneaker prevailing by a head. It was Sneaker’s first stakes win for owner R L Stables. Trained by George Papaprodromou, Sneaker will have a new rider aboard in Antonio Fresu; she will also be trying dirt for the first time.
Grand Slam Smile, a versatile 4-year-old filly by Smiling Tiger, has never been worse than second in her last four starts for trainer Sean McCarthy. Winner of the Solana Beach stakes going one mile on the turf here on August 17th by a half length over Sneaker, Grand Slam Smile has had four wins on dirt throughout her career, three of which have been in state-bred stakes. A homebred for Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams, she is 15-8-6-1 overall and is the leading money earner in the field with $696,120.
Third place finisher in the California Distaff, Issa Court came in just a half-length shy in what was her first stakes assignment. She will switch back to dirt since getting claimed by Bob Hess off a 1 ¼ length victory two starts back on October 3rd at Santa Anita. Owned by Howard & Janet Siegel Racing LLC, Issa Court will be ridden by Hector Berrios and looks to improve on her record of 25-6-3-5 with $289,768.
Tina Turner, looms to remain “Simply the Best” for trainer Steve Knapp, the promising 3-year-old filly by owner Nick Alexander’s Grazen has been a perfect two-for-two and will be trying stakes company for the first time. Tina Turner overcame a slow break to win her maiden debut by a half-length, going five and a half furlongs on at Los Alamitos on September 21st. She followed that victory with a one length score in a state-bred allowance race going about six and a half furlongs down the Santa Anita hillside turf on October 25th. She will have her regular rider Armando Ayuso for the task.
Field of seven in post position order: Hot Girl Walk, Kazushi Kimura; No Cap, Umberto Rispoli; Sexy Blue, Geovanni Franco; Grand Slam Smile, William Antongeorgi, III; Tina Turner, Armando Ayuso; Sneaker, Antonio Fresu; Issa Court, Hector Berrios.
First post time for a nine-race card is at 12:30 PM. The Betty Grable Stakes goes as the eighth race with an approximate post time of 4:30 PM PT.