Grand Slam Smile scores in Golden State Juvenile Fillies
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ARCADIA, Calif. — A wild child grew up in a big way in Friday's $175,000 Golden State Juvenile Fillies for California-bred or -sired runners at seven furlongs.
Grand Slam Smile, a Smiling Tiger homebred owned by Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams, settled just off the early lead under jockey Frank Alvarado as rail-drawn Recalcitrant and heavily favored Mirinda battled for the lead through fractions of 21.91 and 45.03 seconds.
Mirinda sprinted for home at the five-sixteenths pole, but Grand Slam Smile was handcuffed to her hip. They turned into the stretch together with Grand Slam Smile moving better, and she edged away in the final furlong to prevail by a commanding 7 1/4 lengths in 1:24.55 seconds.
Longshot Petit Filet got up for second with a tired Mirinda another 1 1/2 lengths back in third. Grand Slam Smile (70 Beyer Speed Figure) returned $7.80 as the second-choice in the betting.
"She was a handful in the beginning," said winning trainer Steve Specht. "In fact, the guy that runs the ranch, Dan Kaiser, told me that he didn't think she'd even make it to the races because she was a little wild and it took her a long time to get settled in and used to people."
Grand Slam Smile won her first two starts including Santa Anita's Fasig-Tipton Debutante at five furlongs on June 17. She finished second in the CTBA Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 6.
"After the race at Del Mar, she got an infection in a leg," Specht admitted. "It set her back around ten days. I had this race in mind for the last two months, and it all worked out. I had her plenty fit."
Grand Slam Smile is the fifth blacktype earner produced by the winning Grand Slam mare Royal Grand Slam.
Specht mentioned Del Mar's Grade 3, $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes at one mile on turf on Dec. 2 as a potential next option for Grand Slam Smile.
Magic Spoon rallies to take Golden State Juvenile
Magic Spoon looks like a promising prospect as he made it 2 for 2 in his career with a rallying victory in the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile for California-bred or -sired 2-year-olds at seven furlongs.
Ridden by Tiago Pereira for BG Stables and Jose Valdez, Magic Spoon settled off the pace while Dr. No No, Stay On the Fence, Shady Appeal and Private Gem sparred through an opening split of 22.52 seconds.
Private Gem eased back slightly off the duel after a half-mile in 46.52 as Magic Spoon commenced a strong sweeping rally from the far outside.
Magic Spoon took control into the stretch and sustained his rally to the wire outlasting a resurgent Private Gem by a half-length in 1:24.60. Dr. No No held third, 1 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up.
Magic Spoon returned $6 as the betting favorite.
Magic Spoon made a winning debut in a statebred maiden special weight at Santa Anita on Oct. 7. After breaking slowly from the rail, Magic Spoon rallied from the back of the pack to win at six furlongs.
Trainer Jose Valdez was especially impressed that Magic Spoon overcame taking dirt in his face in the early portion of that race before swinging outside and into the clear.
A Good Magic colt bred in California by Richard Burton Enterprises, Magic Spoon was purchased for $50,000 as a private sale following last summer’s Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings and Horses of Racing Age auction. He races for Valdez and BG Stables.
His dam, the Canadian Frontier mare, Canadian Mistress, was Grade 3-placed routing on dirt.
Magic Spoon is the first stakes winner saddled by Valdez, a former assistant to 86-year-old trainer Hector Palma, who was provisionally suspended by the national Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit in late August after one of his starters at Del Mar in late July tested positive for the banned medication methamphetamine.
It was later revealed that three grooms and an exercise rider employed by Palma tested positive for methamphetamine and/or amphetamine and were suspended for 30 to 90 days, according to rulings issued in September.
Palma was in the winner's circle on Friday.
– additional reporting by Steve Andersen
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