Smooth Like Strait Finds Softer Company in Wickerr

If the Eclipse Awards had a "tough luck" category in horse racing, Cannon Thoroughbreds' Smooth Like Strait  would be a top candidate.

Since winning the La Jolla Handicap (G3T) at Del Mar in 2020, the son of Midnight Lute   has run 11 times, winning three and finishing second seven times. He has been runner-up in five of his last six races. All six of those races were graded stakes, and in the race in which he did not finish second, the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland, he was third in a three-horse blanket finish. Smooth Like Strait led at one point in the stretch run of every one of those races, including last year's FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (G1T) when he was the runner-up.

So one could hardly blame trainer Michael McCarthy if he went looking for a softer spot for his 5-year-old horse. But McCarthy says that's not why he's running Smooth Like Strait in the restricted $100,000 Wickerr Stakes July 23 at Del Mar.

"I liked the spacing of the race. It gives us some options as to where we go towards the end of the meet," McCarthy said. "I thought about running him in the (1 1/8-mile) Eddie Read (G2T) but I just wanted to go ahead and keep him at a mile for the time being."

It turns out the Wickerr came up as tough a competitive race as you'll find at this level with several grade stakes winners entered, including 2019 champion 2-year-old male Storm the Court .

Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson, and Dan Hudock's Storm the Court captured the 2019 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park making him one of the early favorites for the 2020 Kentucky Derby sponsored by Woodford Reserve (G1). However, the son of Court Vision   in 12 starts since the 2019 Breeders' Cup, bouncing around with graded stakes company until trainer Peter Eurton dropped him into allowance races at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs this year. He finished three-quarters of a length behind victorious Smooth Like Strait in the 2020 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T) in his best effort on the turf.

Smooth Like Strait would be wise to keep an eye out for Hronis Racing's speedy Bran , a 4-year-old French-bred who won the Daytona Stakes (G3T) in gate-to-wire fashion last time out in a turf sprint at Santa Anita Park. The John Sadler trainee should be vying for the early lead with Smooth Like Strait.

"This will be his first time at the distance," Sadler says, "but he's got a very good record; he's there every time. It's come up a very tough race, but he's a nice horse in his own right."

Sadler will also run Yuesheng Zhang's stakes-winning Sword Zorro .

Entries: Wickerr S.

Del Mar, Sunday, July 24, 2022, Race 9

• STK
• 1m
• Turf
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 6:03 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Irideo (ARG)	Hector Isaac Berrios	121	Marcelo Polanco	15/1
2	2Tesoro (KY)	Armando Ayuso	121	O. J. Jauregui	50/1
3	3Sword Zorro (IRE)	Ryan Curatolo	123	John W. Sadler	15/1
4	4Gregorian Chant (GB)	Umberto Rispoli	121	Philip D'Amato	6/1
5	5I'mgonnabesomebody (KY)	Kyle Frey	121	Bill McLean	50/1
6	6Navy Armed Guard (KY)	Frank T. Alvarado	123	Quinn Howey	20/1
7	7Bran (FR)	Florent Geroux	121	John W. Sadler	5/1
8	8Storm the Court (KY)	Abel Cedillo	121	Peter Eurton	8/1
9	9Indian Peak (CA)	Ramon A. Vazquez	121	Peter Miller	8/1
10	10Majestic Eagle (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	121	Neil D. Drysdale	12/1
11	11Kentucky Pharoah (KY)	Declan Cannon	121	Jack Sisterson	20/1
12	12Smooth Like Strait (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	123	Michael W. McCarthy	6/5
13	13Me and Mr. C (FL)	Joe Bravo	125	Michael J. Maker	12/1