Grand Slam Smile won the sixth stakes of her career, but first under the direction of trainer Sean McCarthy, in the $151,500 Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar last Sunday. The win in the one-mile turf race for statebred fillies and mares, achieved in a front-running manner, has left McCarthy eager to start Grand Slam Smile at the Santa Anita autumn meeting, which runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 26. The race choices include the $100,000 California Distaff for statebred fillies and mares at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course on Oct. 12, a race Grand Slam Smile won last year, or the $80,000 Swingtime Stakes at a mile on turf a day later.  :: Play to Win at Del Mar! Get DRF Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Picks, and Betting Strategies all in one place.  The Swingtime Stakes is restricted to non-winners of a first-place purse of $60,000 at a mile or farther other than in statebred races in 2025, a condition that Grand Slam Smile meets as of now. While the Swingtime base purse is less than the California Distaff, the Swingtime has an additional $24,000 available to California-breds that earn purse money. Grand Slam Smile, who races for owners and breeders Larry and Marianne Williams, has won 8 of 14 starts and earned $676,120. She was trained by Steve Specht until his retirement last winter, and arrived at McCarthy’s stable at Santa Anita in February. Grand Slam Smile, a 4-year-old by Smiling Tiger, has won 2 of 3 starts for McCarthy. She won her first start of 2025 in an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt at Los Alamitos on June 28 and was second in the restricted Osunitas Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 20 as a 23-1 outsider. Grand Slam Smile was the 13-10 favorite in the Solana Beach Stakes and was ridden by William Antongeorgi.  McCarthy described her performance as “great.” “She’s a special horse,” he said. “She showed it again on Sunday. I was pleased with the way she ran and the way Billy rode her with the confidence he has. “She did everything we asked for.” McCarthy said a decision on Grand Slam Smile’s next start will not be made soon. “It’s going to be at Santa Anita,” he said. “We’ll see how the next month goes.” McCarthy is eager to see how Grand Slam Smile progresses through the fall and into 2026. “I’ve got to keep reminding myself she’s 4,” he said. “I keep thinking she’s 5 or 6. She could get stronger and better.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.