Smooth Like Strait Faces Elders in Kilroe Mile

One of the variables early in any year of racing involves 2-year-olds turning 3 and how they mature and fare in longer races.

Another potentially challenging change centers on 3-year-olds growing a year older and facing competition with their elders for the first time.

For the multiple graded stakes-winning Smooth Like Strait, turning 4 in January brought the prospect of taking on older rivals for the first time, something that will happen March 6 when he faces nine highly accomplished turfers in the $400,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita Park.

A son of Midnight Lute  bred and owned by Cannon Thoroughbreds, Smooth Like Strait enjoyed a stellar 3-year-old campaign, starting seven times and finishing first four times and second twice while earning $476,540 for trainer Michael McCarthy. Some highlights included wins in the Mathis Brothers Mile (G2T) and Twilight Derby (G2T) and a runner-up finish in the Hollywood Derby (G1T).

Yet each of those seven starts came on turf in races for 3-year-olds only, a restriction that has passed him by with the turning of the calendar to 2021.

Entering his first race against older rivals and second in grade 1 company, Smooth Like Strait has been training sharply following a three-quarters-of-a-length victory in the Dec. 26 Mathis Brothers Mile.

He's raced five times at a mile, with three wins, all in stakes.

The Kilroe attracted an evenly matched field with entrants from both coasts, including Ride a Comet and Casa Creed, who finished 1-2 in the Jan. 9 Tropical Turf Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park. 

Ride a Comet, a 6-year-old son of Candy Ride  owned by John Oxley and breeder My Meadowview Farm, is in the midst of a "perfect" comeback story for trainer Mark Casse. 

"He's training very well," Casse said. "I think he's at the top of his game. It's a tough race. I think you'll need to get lucky with your trip."

After Ride a Comet was sidelined for more than two years by two separate injuries, Casse has him in career-best form. Away from the races from Sept. 2, 2018, until Oct. 16, 2020, Ride a Comet has reeled off three straight wins, capped by his victory in the mile Tropical Turf.

"He's an amazing horse. He definitely is, and I'm very proud of him," Casse said.

LRE Racing's 5-year-old Casa Creed, a son of Jimmy Creed  trained by Bill Mott, was a half-length behind Ride a Comet in the Tropical Turf. The grade 1-placed Casa Creed won the 2019 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T).

The nation's premier turf trainer, Chad Brown, will be represented by the duo of Juddmonte Farms' Flavius and Klaravich Stables' Spirit Animal.

Flavius, a son of War Front , has not raced since finishing three-quarters of a length behind fellow Kilroe starter Count Again in the Nov. 28 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar. Spirit Animal, a 5-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid, also made his last start in the Seabiscuit, finishing sixth.

Another shipper from the east with credentials good enough to be a big factor in the mile test is The Elkstone Group's Social Paranoia.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the son of Street Boss  was last seen finishing fourth after breaking from post 12 in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1T). The grade 1-placed 5-year-old lost ground in the final furlong of the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus Turf but is a multiple grade 3 winner on turf at a mile.

Calumet Farm's Flying Scotsman, who was fifth in the Tropical Turf, also flew west after a decisive, front-running victory in a Feb. 13 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream for trainer Jack Sisterson.

After the son of Awesome Again captured the Seabiscuit for trainer Phil D'Amato, Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm's Ontario-bred Count Again was seventh in his last start, finishing 20 1/2 lengths behind in the San Gabriel Stakes (G2T) as an even-money favorite.

Also entered are Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) winner Hit the Road and Royal Ship, a group 1 winner in Brazil who is winless in three U.S. starts, including a third-place finish in the Del Mar Mile Handicap (G2T).

Entries: Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. (G1T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, March 06, 2021, Race 9

• Grade IT
• 1m
• Turf
• $400,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:26 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Smooth Like Strait (KY)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	122	Michael W. McCarthy	4/1
2	2Hit the Road (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Dan Blacker	4/1
3	3Social Paranoia (KY)	Abel Cedillo	122	Todd A. Pletcher	8/1
4	4Royal Ship (BRZ)	Mike E. Smith	120	Richard E. Mandella	15/1
5	5Spirit Animal (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Chad C. Brown	12/1
6	6Flavius (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Chad C. Brown	6/1
7	7Casa Creed (KY)	John R. Velazquez	120	William I. Mott	6/1
8	8Count Again (ON)	Juan J. Hernandez	122	Philip D'Amato	12/1
9	9Ride a Comet (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	122	Mark E. Casse	7/2
10	10Flying Scotsman (KY)	Tyler Baze	120	Jack Sisterson	12/1