Smooth Like Strait Takes Mathis Brothers Mile
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Smooth Like Strait wins the Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Cannon Thoroughbreds' Smooth Like Strait resumed winning ways and notched his third graded victory of the year in the $201,000 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T) Dec. 26 at Santa Anita Park, handing a three-quarters-of-a-length defeat to 2019 champion juvenile male Storm the Court.
Michael McCarthy-trained Smooth Like Strait went off as the 4-5 favorite in the Mathis Brothers Mile off a head loss in the Nov. 28 Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar and had this season's regular rider Umberto Rispoli back aboard.
"I was surprised at how well he came out of the Hollywood Derby," McCarthy said. "He put in a couple of works that were I thought maintenance-type works, but everything he was showing me in the morning, and the way he was acting around the barn… I thought about it for a couple of days whether we should go or wait until March, give him a little bit of a break over the winter. But he acted like he had his mind on running today and I'm glad we got him over here."
Storm the Court broke on top and showed the way in the event for 3-year-olds. With John Velazquez in the irons for the first time, he set fractions of :23.02, :46.49, and 1:10.12 through six furlongs. Smooth Like Strait had that margin down to a half-length at the half-mile pole and continued to stalk close as they approached the quarter pole. After applying pressure, Smooth Like Strait gained command in upper stretch and held strong to win over Storm the Court.
The final time on firm turf was 1:33.51.
"We knew that Storm the Court would be going for the lead, so I just wanted to sit back of him," Rispoli said. "We got the perfect trip. There were a lot of great horses in this race, so when it came time to ask him in the stretch, he was ready to go. I went out earlier today to examine the turf course because it was our first day of the meet. I looked at all the paths and knew exactly what path to take in the stretch. And that's the one I took to get home. I have to give Michael McCarthy all the credit. We got beat by a very short margin in the last race, the Hollywood Derby, and one month later Michael had the horse ready to go."
The Mathis Brothers Mile was the second turf race where Smooth Like Strait and Storm the Court finished 1-2, though Saturday's margin was closer than the 2 1/2 lengths between them in the Aug. 9 La Jolla Handicap (G3T) at Del Mar where Storm the Court stalked the pace. After the La Jolla, Storm the Court returned to dirt and ran sixth in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Back on the California turf, he finished seventh in the Hollywood Derby. Though the 2019 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner is 0-8 this year, trainer Peter Eurton was pleased with Saturday's effort, for which Storm the Court was sent off at odds of 10-1.
"It is the first time he has actually been on the lead in a race since the Breeders' Cup, and I told John to see if we can put him in that position, where he is much more comfortable," Eurton said. "He defends better than he fights.
"It was such a good race. At a longer distance, where you can get a control of the pace more easily and make it definitive that you're going to go there every time you run, people are going to have to come and get you.
"It was without question the best race he has run since the Breeders' Cup."
Whisper Not rallied to finish third in the Mathis Brothers Mile, followed by Field Pass, Scarto, Strongconstitution, and Heywoods Beach.
A Kentucky homebred for Michael and Jennifer Cannon, Smooth Like Strait is by Midnight Lute out of the Flower Alley mare Smooth as Usual. His dam has since produced a yearling Temple City filly, a weanling full brother to Smooth Like Strait, and was reported bred this year to Nyquist .
Smooth Like Strait has collected a 6-2-1 record from 12 career starts and earnings of $577,823. Other victories this year include the Oct. 18 Twilight Derby (G2T) at Del Mar, the La Jolla, and the War Chant Stakes at Churchill Downs in May, for which Velazquez was aboard.
McCarthy mentioned the March 6 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) and the May 31 Shoemaker Mile (G1T), both at Santa Anita, as probable immediate plans, but first has in mind a deserved rest for the colt.
"He has earned himself a little bit of a break here," McCarthy said, "and he's going to enjoy himself for a week or two."