Smooth Like Strait preps for BC Mile with City of Hope Mile
.jpg)
Smooth Like Strait, already assured of a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 6, will have a final prep race in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita next Saturday.
Trainer Michael McCarthy watched Smooth Like Strait work five furlongs in 59 seconds at Santa Anita on Saturday in a manner that left him confident the 4-year-old can give a peak effort over the weekend and be ready for the BC Mile.
“We’re going to give it a long, hard look,” McCarthy said.
Umberto Rispoli is booked to ride Smooth Like Strait, who has not raced since a second by a head in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 21. Smooth Like Strait was beaten by Mo Forza, another candidate for the BC Mile who is expected to start in the $200,000 City of Hope Mile.
:: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures
McCarthy had considered training Smooth Like Strait up to the BC Mile.
Hit the Road, third by a little more than a length in the Del Mar Mile, is another leading candidate for the City of Hope Mile.
On Sunday at Santa Anita, Hit the Road worked a half-mile in 49 seconds. Hit the Road won the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in March.
On Saturday at the San Luis Rey Downs training center, Mo Forza worked five furlongs in 1:01. Mo Forza won the City of Hope Mile last October, but missed the BC Mile because of injury.
Smooth Like Strait has already secured a berth for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 6, courtesy of a win in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita in May.
Red Flag returns
Red Flag, winner of the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes for 2-year-olds at Del Mar last November, recently returned to training after a lengthy layoff, trainer John Shirreffs said.
Red Flag has not started since a third-place finish in the Pasadena Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita in February. The Pasadena Stakes was won by Rock Your World, who later won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.
Following the Pasadena, Red Flag underwent surgery to have a bone chip removed from an ankle, Shirreffs said.
Shirreffs said Red Flag is not expected to resume racing until early next year. “He has a ways to go,” Shirreffs said.
Owned by Jerry and Tina Moss, Red Flag has won 2 of 5 starts. He was fourth at 9-10 in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity last December in his most recent start on dirt.