Smooth Like Strait to stand in California
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The stallion Smooth Like Strait has been moved from War Horse Place in Kentucky to Eclipse Thoroughbred Farm in Solvang, Calif., for the 2026 breeding season, Eclipse announced in a statement earlier this week.
Smooth Like Strait, an 8-year-old by Midnight Lute, will stand for a fee of $3,500, the farm said. Smooth Like Strait stood for an advertised fee of $4,500 earlier this year.
Smooth Like Strait was bred to 12 mares in the 2024 breeding season, according to the Jockey Club. The 2026 season will be the third at stud for Smooth Like Strait, who won seven of 26 starts and earned $1,813,363.
Smooth Like Strait, who was trained by Michael McCarthy, had his best season as a 3-year-old in 2025, winning four turf stakes. Those included two Grade 2 races at Santa Anita – the Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles and the Mathis Brothers Mile.
Smooth Like Strait won his final stakes in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita in May 2021, the year he was second in both the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar and the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Farm stands Grazen, who led the state’s stallions in progeny earnings in 2023 and 2024 and ranks first this year through Thursday.
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