Grand Slam Smile has score to settle with Sneaker on turf

ARCADIA, Calif. – A budding rivalry between California-bred stakes winners Grand Slam Smile and Sneaker resumes Saturday at Santa Anita, where Grand Slam Smile has another score to settle.

Three months after she was upset by Sneaker in a California-bred hillside stakes, and two months after she exacted revenge by trouncing Sneaker on dirt, Grand Slam Smile enters the $125,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint as a borderline slam dunk.

At 6 1/2 furlongs, the Sunshine Millions is an opportunity for Grand Slam Smile to reestablish leadership of the California-bred filly and mare sprint division. On dirt, she is already there. On turf, not quite.

Grand Slam Smile and Sneaker met twice on turf. Grand Slam Smile defeated Sneaker in the Solana Beach Stakes last summer at Del Mar; Sneaker defeated Grand Slam Smile in the California Distaff Handicap last autumn at Santa Anita.

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When they met for a third time, on dirt in the Betty Grable Stakes for California-breds at Del Mar, Grand Slam Smile cruised to her ninth victory from 16 starts while Sneaker struggled with the footing and finished last by more than 12 lengths. It was not Sneaker’s best race.

“She’s not a dirt filly,” trainer George Papaprodromou said. “She was training good on dirt, and we gave it a shot. Dirt is not her thing, so we’re back on the turf.”

Sneaker is back on the same hillside course where she won her first stakes by defeating Grand Slam Smile in autumn. Both fillies are racing Saturday for the first time in two months. Preparation has not been ideal for Sneaker.

“We’re coming off a small layoff, and she missed a workout” due to rain, Papaprodromou said. “That’s my concern.”

Sneaker, a 5-year-old by Oscar Performance, is owned by Katie Kennedy’s R L Stables. Mike Smith rides Sneaker, who is adding blinkers.

As for Grand Slam Smile, her preparation has been smooth, according to trainer Sean McCarthy.

“She’s been as steady as you can be, training just as well as she has before,” McCarthy said. “I’m happy with the way she’s coming into the race.”

McCarthy typically works Grand Slam Smile on dirt, but on Jan. 4 during wet weather, he breezed her five furlongs on the training track. She smoked the five furlongs in 59.20 seconds, fastest of 62 works at the distance. She followed Jan. 10 with a solid 47.60-second half-mile work on dirt.

Owned by breeders Larry and Marianne Williams, Grand Slam Smile has earned $753,120 and is the second leading earner among Smiling Tiger progeny. William Antongeorgi rides Grand Slam Smile; her tactical speed allows her to create her own trip.

Prancingthruparis, winner of the Irish O’Brien Stakes on the Santa Anita hill in March, makes her first start in five months for trainer Peter Eurton. The field also includes stakes winners Tequilaandtherapy, Moments Pleasure, and Take Another Card. Going Deep, Tina Turner, and Issa Court add speed.

Moments Pleasure, third in the Sunshine Millions last year, is the only 2025 starter to return this year. Moments Pleasure is making her first start in three months and probably needs the race.

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