Breeders' Cup Smooth Like Strait Tops Shoemaker Mile Entries in Season’s First Breeders’ Cup Prep May 31, 2021 Smooth Like Strait winning the Mathis Brothers Mile (Credit: Ernie Belmonte) Breeders' Cup Smooth Like Strait Tops Shoemaker Mile Entries in Season’s First Breeders’ Cup Prep May 31, 2021 By: Press Release email Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article ARCADIA, CA – Cannon Thoroughbreds’ consistent homebred Smooth Like Strait heads a field of seven 3-year-olds and up in Monday’s $300,000 Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1) on a nine-race Memorial Day program at Santa Anita. The Shoemaker is a Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” Challenge Race qualifier, with the winner of the Shoemaker Mile entitled to an automatic entry to the 2021 FanDuel Mile to be run at Del Mar on November 6. Full Card Plays Now Available There’s a reason we’re the #1 trusted source for premium racing picks & info. Find Out Why A 4-year-old colt by Midnight Lute, Smooth Like Strait comes off a pair of neck defeats – a third-place finish in the Turf Classic (G1) at a mile and 1/8 on May 1 at Churchill Downs and in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) here on March 6. A 3/4-length winner of the Mathis Brothers Mile (G2) 3 starts back on December 26, Smooth Like Strait, dating back to his 2 1/2-length win in the La Jolla Stakes (G2) at Del Mar on August 9, has been favored in 6 out of his last 7 starts, all graded stakes, and he’s won 3 of them. With regular rider Umberto Rispoli back aboard, Smooth Like Strait, who earned a best last-out Beyer Speed Figure of 100 in the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, is 14-6-3-2 overall with earnings of $753,823. Smooth Like Strait Cruises in Mathis Brothers Mile Trained by Michael McCarthy, Smooth Like Strait, a 4-time graded stakes winner on turf, will face stiff competition, headed perhaps by Phil D’Amato’s Say the Word, who was supplemented at a cost of $6,000. An impressive 1 1/2-length winner of the Elkhorn Stakes (G2) going a mile and 1/2 over a soft turf at Keeneland April 17, Say the Word was second, beaten 3/4 of a length 2 starts back going the same distance here in the San Luis Rey Stakes (G3) on March 20. A 6-year-old Ontario/Canadian-bred gelding by More Than Ready, Say the Word, who will be cutting back to a flat mile for the first time since September 1, 2019, will be making his fifth start for D’Amato on Monday. With Flavien Prat engaged, he’s well-spotted for owners Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm. A Grade 1 winner in his final start at Woodbine Race Course on October 18, Say the Word brings an overall mark of 29-6-3-5 and earnings of $609,292. Next Shares, Crossfirehurricane, Restrainedvengence, Raymundos Secret, and Whisper Not complete the field. Joining the Gamely on the card is the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) and the Gamely Stakes (G1).
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