Grand Slam Smile Goes for Graded Win in Buena Vista

Having successfully conquered California-bred stakes competition multiple times, Grand Slam Smile  will make her second start against graded company Feb. 28 at Santa Anita. The 5-year-old daughter of Smiling Tiger  is set to face six other older females in the Buena Vista Stakes (G2) at a mile on the turf.

While the rest of the field specializes in turf racing, Grand Slam Smile has proved adept on any surface. She earned her maiden on Golden Gate Fields' Tapeta track, and her eight stakes victories have been divided at five on dirt and three on turf.

Grand Slam Smile has built this professional resume through the efforts of Dan Kiser and trainers Steve Specht and Sean McCarthy. Kiser manages owner/breeders Larry and Marianne Williams' Idaho farm, and he initially told Specht that the filly was so wild that she might not get to the races. However, Kiser and Specht were patient with her, and after Specht retired a year ago, McCarthy took over.

"I talk to Steve all the time about her and keep him in the loop," McCarthy said. "She's exactly what he told me. I think as time has progressed, she's obviously matured and settled down. But by the same token, she has a hair trigger. She's all business. She knows when it's race day, and she knows when it's work day. She's very, very intelligent."

Grand Slam Smile gets a new jockey for the Buena Vista in Kazushi Kimura, currently second in the Santa Anita standings. Regular rider William Antongeorgi III is riding at Turfway Park. However, Kimura knows the mare, having worked her several times for McCarthy.

"She's coming into this race sharp," McCarthy said. "He gets on with her well. He's very professional. He studied the form before he ever came to work her. He takes his job very seriously."

Grand Slam Smile is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line to 9-5 Thought Process  from the Phil D'Amato barn. A 4-year-old daughter of Collected  , Thought Process hasn't started since running third in the Aug. 16 Del Mar Oaks (G1T). She won the July 19 San Clemente Handicap (G2T) and two turf stakes as a 2-year-old. Hector Berrios has ridden Thought Process in five of her eight starts, four of them wins, and he returns in the Buena Vista.

Princesa Moche  and Vibez , one-two in the Jan. 31 Megahertz Stakes (G3T), are also entered in the Buena Vista field. Only a neck separated them in the Megahertz. Princesa Moche, trained by Doug O'Neill, has started six times in this country, including a second in the Jan. 11 Las Cienegas Stakes (G3T). Vibez, also a daughter Collected and trained by Peter Eurton, has raced almost exclusively in Southern California, where she won the 2025 Swingtime Stakes. In her only race outside of California, Vibez ran second in the 2025 Wasted Tears Stakes at Lone Star Park.

Watchtower , trained by Richard Baltas, enters off a third in the Jan. 8 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T). She won the 2024 Autumn Miss Stakes (G3T) and ran third in the 2025 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2T).

Hannah Buckle , fourth in the Frankel, and My Perfect Wave , seventh in the Megahertz after lacking room in the stretch, round out the field.