Grand Slam Smile takes early lead, keeps it in Solano Beach Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. - Grand Slam Smile gave veteran jockey William Antongeorgi his first stakes win at Del Mar with a brave display from the front in Sunday’s $151,500 Solana Beach Stakes on turf.

Sent off favored, Grand Slam Smile took the lead in the opening sixteenth, set a quick pace and won by a half-length for her sixth stakes win in her 14th start.

“I was going to play the break,” Antongeorgi said.

“I didn’t want to get in a speed duel. She broke running and towed me right there.”

Grand Slam Smile set a sharp pace of 22.65 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.77 for a half-mile, leading by a length over 9-2 Sneaker in the race for statebred fillies and mares.

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“She did it very easily,” Antongeorgi said. “Down the backstretch, she relaxed. I knew she’d be super tough.”

Sneaker, winner of the Fran’s Valentine Stakes at Santa Anita on May 24, held second in a performance that left trainer George Papaprodromou impressed.

“She ran huge,” Papaprodromou said. “She got beat by a really nice filly.”

Grand Slam Smile ($4.60) ran a mile in 1:34.92 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 89.

Cornelia Fort, claimed for $20,000 in May, finished third at 7-1. Wink and a Grin closed from last of nine to finish fourth, followed by Prancingthruparis, Moment’s Pleasure, California Rocks, Only One America and Hot Girl Walks.

Dorie Miller and Miso Phansy were scratched.

Grand Slam Smile has won eight times and earned $676,120 for owners and breeders Larry and Marianne Williams.

A 4-year-old filly by Smiling Tiger, Grand Slam Smile was trained by Steve Specht until his retirement last winter. This year for trainer Sean McCarthy, Smiling Tiger has won 2 of 3 starts. 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 at a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 20.

For the 38-year-old Antongeorgi, Grand Slam Smile was his 14th career mount in a stakes at Del Mar, since 2008. He rode primarily in Northern California before that circuit dissolved last winter.

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