Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
All systems go in Kilroe for Smooth Like Strait
The day after Christmas, Smooth Like Strait ended his 2020 season with his fourth stakes win of the year in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile on turf at Santa Anita. It was the ideal conclusion to a successful season that left trainer Michael McCarthy optimistic Smooth Like Strait can show further progress as a 4-year-old this year.
McCarthy and owners Michael and Jennifer Cannon will have their first indication late Saturday afternoon at Santa Anita when Smooth Like Strait starts from the rail in a terrific running of the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf.
Smooth Like Strait is one of seven graded stakes winners in a remarkably deep field of 10.
“Anytime you run in a Grade 1, this is what it’s supposed to be,” McCarthy said. “I’m glad it’s in our backyard.”
Aside from Smooth Like Strait, the locally based runners are led by Hit the Road, who won the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf Feb. 6 in his first start since July, and Count Again, who won the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf Nov. 28 at Del Mar.
The field includes six shippers from Florida.
Trainer Chad Brown has two starters in Flavius and Spirit Animal, neither of whom has won a graded stakes but who appear capable of winning.
Ride a Comet and Casa Creed were the first two finishers of the Grade 3 Tropical Turf Stakes at a mile on Jan. 9 at Gulfstream Park. Flying Scotsman was fifth in the Tropical Turf Stakes, but rebounded to win an allowance race at a mile on turf from the front on Feb. 13 at Gulfstream Park.
Trainer Todd Pletcher starts Social Paranoia, winner of two Grade 3 races in 2020 who was fourth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park.
The Kilroe Mile is the ninth race on a program that begins at noon Pacific. The program includes a mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow pick six, which covers the sixth through 11th races.
McCarthy made it clear after the Mathis Brothers that the $400,000 Frank Kilroe Mile was the first objective of 2021 for Smooth Like Strait, a winner of 6 of 12 starts.
“Everything has gone well,” McCarthy said. “He’s a horse that seems like he’s on top of his game.”
McCarthy received good news last weekend when jockey Umberto Rispoli chose Smooth Like Strait over Hit the Road after having ridden both in recent starts.
“They seem to have a very good rapport together,” McCarthy said.
A greater concern is the inside post for Smooth Like Strait, who runs as a stalker.
“I’d like to see him get away cleanly and get a good position on the backstretch,” McCarthy said.
Hit the Road will be ridden for the first time by Florent Geroux. In the Thunder Road, Hit the Road closed from third in a field of six to storm clear in the final furlong. The race was his first start since a win in the restricted Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar last July.
“I think he’s ready,” trainer Dan Blacker said.
“He’s been training great since his last race. His weight has stayed the same. He’s always been a pretty smart horse around the barn and on the track. He hasn’t shown any difference in energy. He seems like as he was going into the last race.”
The Kilroe Mile will be the American Grade 1 debut of the Brazilian-bred Royal Ship, who has been gelded since his last start when last of four in the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar in November. Royal Ship was a Group 1 winner in Brazil in February 2020.
This is the first start for Count Again since a last-place finish in the Grade 2 San Gabriel here Jan. 2. Count Again has worked quickly in recent weeks.
Both of Brown’s runners last ran in the Seabiscuit Handicap in November. Flavius was second while Spirit Animal finished sixth, beaten 3 1/4 lengths, after racing in traffic at a pivotal point in the stretch.
Flying Scotsman, who drew the outside post, is the likely pacesetter. He will be closely followed by Ride a Comet and Casa Creed, who were separated by a half-length in the Tropical Turf Stakes, performances that put them at the fore of the Kilroe field – along with several others.
◗ The Saturday program begins with the $100,000 China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf. Quatroelle, winner of the Blue Norther Stakes at a mile on turf Dec. 31, and Going Global, the fast-closing winner of the Grade 3 Sweet Life Stakes at six furlongs on turf Feb. 14, are part of a field of nine.