Grand Slam Smile passes earnings milestone with California Distaff Handicap victory

ARCADIA, Calif. - For her 11th career stakes win, the 5-year-old mare Grand Slam Smile found a suspenseful way to surpass $1 million in career earnings in Sunday’s $101,000 California Distaff Handicap at Santa Anita.

The 128-pound topweight in a race for statebred fillies and mares, Grand Slam Smile ($4.20) closed from fifth to take the lead in the final furlong. She was passed briefly by 18-1 Miso Phansy in the final sixteenth and rallied to win by a nose.

The victory was worth $60,000 and improved Grand Slam Smile’s career earnings to $1,057,120.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Grand Slam Smile closed from fifth of seven. With a wide rally, she reached contention on the turn.

“She didn’t want to go early,” Hernandez said. “I made one run.

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“It took time to get her engaged. At the quarter-pole, she took off.”

Grand Slam Smile was third by a half-length with a furlong remaining, trailing stretch leader No Cap by a half-length. Miso Phansy, who carried 118 pounds, closed from last to lead for a few strides.

“Maybe if we waited a little bit we could have surprised” Grand Slam Smile, said Leonard Powell, who trains Miso Phansy.

“We were getting 10 pounds from the winner. The winner was best. We were second-best.”

Hernandez said the threat from Miso Phansy propelled Grand Slam Smile.

“When she felt the other filly, she came on again,” he said. “She gave me another gear.”

Grand Slam Smile ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.86. The race was scheduled for the hillside turf course, but was moved to the main turf oval on Sunday morning after overnight rain.

Miso Phansy finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of 3-1 Rosa Parks. No Cap faded to finish fourth, followed by Lino’s Angel, Christel Clean and Liberation. Bit’s Tiger Magic, Quick Kate, Still Unwritten and Wink and a Grin were scratched.

Grand Slam Smile, who is by Smiling Tiger, races for owner and breeders Larry and Marianne Williams. Trained by Sean McCarthy, Grand Slam Smile has won 13 of 24 starts, and ended a two-race losing streak on Sunday.

Grand Slam Smile won three stakes for statebreds earlier this year, including the Fran’s Valentine Stakes at a mile on turf on May 23. She finished fifth in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos on July 4 and was fourth of seven in the Solana Beach Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 15.

The two recent losses were the first time that she finished worse than third in consecutive starts in her career.

Sunday’s win was the second for Grand Slam Smile in the California Distaff Handicap. She won the California Distaff in 2024 and was second by a head last year.

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