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Smooth Like Strait Tops Competitive Group In Frank Kilroe Mile

In what may be the best betting race of the day, trainer Michael McCarthy's Smooth Like Strait heads a deep and competitive field of 10 older horses in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (turf) at Santa Anita.

A winner of the opening day Mathis Brothers Mile on Dec. 26, Cannon Thoroughbreds' homebred Smooth Like Strait is a head away from three consecutive graded stakes wins and merits top billing in a close call over recent lights-out Grade 3 winner Hit the Road.

With a strong local contingent in place, the Kilroe has also attracted five quality eastern shippers, headed by Chad Brown's Flavius, Todd Pletcher's Social Paranoia and Mark Casse's Ride a Comet.

Forwardly placed in nearly all of his races, Smooth Like Strait pressed the early pace set by Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Storm the Court in the Mathis Brothers Mile and went on to a solid three quarter length win at odds of 4-5. With Umberto Rispoli at the controls, Smooth Like Strait won three graded stakes last year, dating back to the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap five starts back on Aug. 9.

A gem of consistency, this 4-year-old colt by Midnight Lute out of the Flower Alley mare Smooth as Usual, has been favored in seven out of his last eight starts, including a narrow defeat two starts back in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby on Nov. 28 at Del Mar. With three wins and a second from five tries at one mile on turf, Smooth Like Strait is 12-6-2-1 overall with earnings of $577,823.

Idle since winning the restricted one mile turf Oceanside Stakes July 10, trainer Dan Blacker's Hit the Road unfurled a tremendous stretch run to take the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes over the course by 3 ¾ lengths and left little doubt he has tremendous upside. With a career-best 99 Beyer Speed figure in hand, Hit the Road, a 4-year-old colt by More Than Ready, seeks his fourth consecutive win on Saturday.

Owned by D K Racing, LLC, Radley Equine, Inc., Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold and Dave Odmark, Hit the Road, who had been ridden in his last three starts by Rispoli, will get the first time services of Florent Geroux, as Rispoli, in a very tough call for him and his agent Scotty McClellan, sticks with Smooth Like Strait. With five wins from seven starts at one mile on turf, Hit the Road is five for eight overall with earnings of $254,751.

Second, beaten three quarters of a length at 5-2 in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 28, Juddmonte Farms' homebred Flavius would be flattered by a fast Kilroe pace with Flavien Prat aboard for the first time. Two for three in Ireland, this 6-year-old full horse by War Front has one win from six stateside starts, which came in a one mile turf ungraded stakes three starts back at Kentucky Downs Sept. 7.

Fourth, beaten 2 ¾ lengths at 9-1 in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at 1 3/16 miles Jan. 23, millionaire Social Paranoia, who will be ridden for the first time by Abel Cedillo, is unbeaten in three tries at one mile on turf and rates an upset chance as he makes his second Grade 1 appearance at age five.

A winner of his last four starts, three of them in graded stakes, Ride a Comet, a 6-year-old full horse by Candy Ride, will be reunited with Drayden Van Dyke, who last rode him four starts back, when he orchestrated a come-from-behind victory in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 2, 2018.

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Versatile Maxfield Takes On Solid Local Contingent In Santa Anita Handicap

Undefeated in five starts, Goldolphin's homebred Maxfield, who has been installed as the 124 pound highweight, will ship in from his New Orleans base to head Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap sponsored by San Manuel Casino. The Big 'Cap, which has attracted a field of eight older horses and will be run for the 84th time at the North American classic distance of a mile and one quarter, is also leg one in the inaugural $1 Million Wild West Bonus, which is comprised of the Big 'Cap, the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup May 31 and the Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 21. Any horse that's able to sweep all three stakes would bank a total of $1,870,000.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield, a 4-year-old colt by Street Sense, out of the Bernardini mare Velvety, rallied from far back to win the Grade III Mineshaft Stakes at a mile and one sixteenth by 3 ¼ lengths at Fair Grounds under Florent Geroux, who will be back aboard Saturday. A Grade 1 winner in his second start at age two in October, 2019, Maxfield has three graded victories to his credit and with the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic looming in November at Del Mar, “Max” will be getting his first taste of Southern California in the Big 'Cap.

Currently bedded down at Simon Callaghan's barn, Maxfield arrived at Santa Anita late Monday night according to Walsh, who is also here to accompany his stable star.

“There aren't a lot of Grade 1's for older horses this time of year,” said Walsh on Wednesday morning. “The timing is good for the horse, the mile and a quarter will be a good test. There were options at home (Fair Grounds in New Orleans) but this seemed like a good time to ship.”

Although he has rallied from far back in three out of his five starts, he pressed the pace en route to a 2 ½ length win in an ungraded stakes going 1 1/16 miles two starts back at Fair Grounds, demonstrating a versatility that further enhances his chances in the Big 'Cap.

When asked if he thought Maxfield would be as far back early as he was in his most recent start in the Mineshaft on Feb. 13, in which he was 11 lengths off the lead after the first half mile, Walsh responded: “No, he broke a little slow that day, there was a horse next to him that was acting up. We'll have to wait until the draw and take a look at the field, but he's been up close before and we'll just have to see where we want to be.”

Prominent among a solid local contingent is C R K Stable's Express Train, who comes of a huge 3 ¼ length win going a mile and one eighth in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 30. Trained by John Shirreffs, Express Train, a 4-year-old colt by Union Rags, was second by 4 ½ lengths to potential superstar Charlatan going seven furlongs two starts back in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26 and will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Juan Hernandez.

A $500,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Express Train sat close to the pace in the San Pasqual and will likely employ similar tactics as he stretches out a furlong on Saturday. With three wins and as many seconds from eight starts, he appears to be coming to his best as Shirreffs and C R K seek their first victory in “The Granddaddy of Them All.”

A well beaten fifth in the opening day Malibu, trainer Michael McCarthy's Independence Hall rebounded with a big third place finish going a mile and one eighth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23, a race in which he earned a Big 'Cap best last-out Beyer Speed figure of 104. A 4-year-old colt by Constitution, Independence Hall is owned by WinStar Farm, LLC, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC and RKV Racing, LLC and will be making his fourth start for McCarthy in the Big 'Cap and will again get the services of leading man Flavien Prat.

Originally trained by Michael Trombetta, Independence Hall was a Grade 3 winner in his second start at Aqueduct at age two and his fifth and final start with Trombetta, was a well beaten fifth at 3-1 in the Grade 1 Florida Derby four starts back on March 28, 2020. With four wins from eight overall starts, he, like the rest of the field, will be trying a mile and one quarter for the first time on Saturday.

Third as the even money favorite in the San Pasqual Jan. 30, Idol, who shipped in from Churchill Downs to run a close second at 4-1 in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes Dec. 26, finished like a horse who should run better with added distance, which is further evidenced by a 5 ¾ length allowance win going 1 3/16 miles at Churchill three starts back on Nov. 8.

Trained by Richard Baltas and owned by Calvin Nguyen, this 4-year-old colt by Curlin has been ridden by eastern-based Gabriel Saez in his last four starts, but will be handled for the first time Joel Rosario in the Big 'Cap. With an overall mark of 5-2-2-1, Idol rates a big chance to spring an upset.

Although a well beaten sixth in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Jan. 23, Coastal Defense lends credible depth to the Big 'Cap field for trainer Dale Romans. Currently based at Gulfstream, this 5-year-old full horse by Curlin was a close fourth in a pair of Kentucky Stakes two and three starts back—the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27 and the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland Sept. 27. Owned by Albaugh Family Stables, LLC and the Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust, Coastal Defense is stretching out a furlong off of three consecutive races at a mile and one eighth and can employ a stalking or off-the-pace style when ridden for the first time by John Velazquez.

THE GRADE 1 SANTA ANITA HANDICAP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 11 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Independence Hall—Flavien Prat—120
Maxfield—Florent Geroux—124
Kiss Today Goodbye—Mike Smith—119
Coastal Defense—John Velazquez—116
Express Train—Juan Hernandez—123
Idol—Joel Rosario—119
Tizamagician—Drayden Van Dyke—119
King Guillermo—Abel Cedillo–116

Special early first post time for an 11-race card, which will include three other graded stakes, is at 12 noon. All of Santa Anita's races can be viewed free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can wager via 1st.com/bet. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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‘Straight Six Will Suit Him Perfectly’: Walsh Planning Dubai Trip With Turf Sprinter Extravagant Kid

Irish-born U.S. trainer Brendan Walsh is ready to head back to the Dubai World Cup meeting, which should inspire all potential competitors to take notice. From his lone starter on the world-renowned card, the 24-time graded/group stakes winner has a victory with Plus Que Parfait in the 2019 $2.5 million UAE Derby (G2) to show for it. The former Godolphin employee looks to bring one of America's top turf sprinters back to his old stomping grounds in the form of DARRS Inc.'s Extravagant Kid for the Group 1 $1 million Al Quoz Sprint over a straight six furlongs.

“He's never ran a bad race and when he really shows up, he's right there,” Walsh said. “In the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (on Nov. 7), he was only beaten a length or so after a horrendous draw—14 out of 14—and going wide the whole way and lost a tone of ground. He's one of those horses who no matter the company he's in, he holds his own. He's done it on turf and dirt and it's always been in the back of my mind that he'd be a good horse to bring to Dubai. He's getting on in age and I think this is a good time to go.”

In his 50th start, Extravagant Kid he will hope to break a case of seconditis (runner-up in five of his past six efforts) while seeking his 15th career tally. He will also look to cure the bridesmaid status of American runners in the grass dash.

Over the past 10 runnings, his compatriots have done well, but fallen short of victory. California Flag and Green Mask were third in 2010 and 2015 and Long On Value was a brutal nose second in 2017. In 2018 and 2019, Americans finished second and third; Stormy Liberal and Conquest Tsunami in 2018 and Belvoir Bay and Stormy Liberal in the following edition.

“The straight six will suit him perfectly,” Walsh continued. “It'll be very interesting. I don't plan on doing anything with him to get him used to it once he's there. I think the novelty of something different in the race will help the horse. He's very smart and I'm waiting for him to one morning actually start talking to me—he's that intelligent. He's also tricky to ride and we always try to change things up to keep him interested. I think the travel, being in Dubai and the straight six furlongs might just work.”

A strong closer with enough tactical speed to make his own luck, the dark bay nine-time stakes winner ran a superb race in the aforementioned Breeders' Cup against some of the world's top turf sprinters. Breaking well from the outside post, he raced in mid-pack—between four- and six-wide throughout—before grinding his way past five horses to a fourth-place run, beaten two half-lengths and a head by Glass Slippers, Wet Your Whistle and Leinster. Finishing astern him that day were the likes of Got Stormy, Wildman Jack and Imprimis.

“I think he can operate from wherever,” Walsh explained. “He's never too far away. He's got a really high cruising speed, so I don't think he'll be too far back on a straight course. We'll see how the race is set up and where he's drawn and come up with a plan from there, but normally he's a horse who sits a few lengths off the lead and comes running.”

Walsh looks forward to hopefully making the trek to Dubai in person, but such is reliant on his obligations with his burgeoning stable that includes one of the nation's top-rated horses, Maxfield, and the highly exciting sophomore Prevalence. Both are owned by Godolphin, with the former running this Saturday in the prestigious Santa Anita Handicap (G1).

“He's a horse who gets your heart going, that's for sure, and he has all the talent in the world,” Walsh said of the former. “He's doing well and this will be a good test for him over 10 furlongs.”

His attention will thereafter shift markedly toward Dubai and hoping his Extravagant Kid flourishes in the land of excess.

“Dubai has a place in my heart and it always will,” the 47-year-old conditioner concluded. “It will be nice to have a horse who can come out there and compete again. We had a great time last time, but it's always great when you win. They always put on a great show and take care of you. It'll be a pleasure to come back.”

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Delacour Hoping Magic Attitude Displays Her ‘Explosive Turn Of Foot’ In Hillsborough

Early last year, Tampa Bay Downs trainer Arnaud Delacour received rave reviews about Magic Attitude, a regally-bred filly who at the time was preparing to make her first 3-year-old start in the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux at Longchamp in Paris.

The daughter of renowned sire Galileo, out of Group 1-winning Margot Did, did not disappoint, notching her first stakes score by 2 lengths. Soon after, owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson purchased Magic Attitude privately on Delacour's recommendation, with the intention of sending her to the conditioner's stable in the United States to compete under their Lael Stables banner.

What transpired was indeed magical: a Grade 1 victory in her first North American start on Sept. 19 in the Belmont Oaks Invitational on the grass.

On Saturday, a freshened, more mature filly will try to launch an even better 4-year-old campaign in the Grade 2, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes at a mile-and-an-eighth on the Oldsmar turf course at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Hillsborough is one of five stakes on Saturday's $1-million Festival Day 41 Presented by Lambholm South card, headed by the Grade 2, $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby for 3-year-old Triple Crown hopefuls.

Magic Attitude is one of two Lael Stables-owned and Delacour-trained fillies set to compete on Festival Day 41. The other, 3-year-old filly Be Sneaky, will make her turf debut in the Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks at a mile-and-a-sixteenth.

Entries were taken and post positions drawn today for all five of Saturday's stakes races.

Delacour says Magic Attitude, who will be ridden for the first time by Julien Leparoux, is approaching the Hillsborough in top condition.

“She breezed a half-mile Tuesday (in 49 3/5 seconds), and I'm very happy how she came out of the work,” Delacour said. “We're excited about running her Saturday, but we still have to play it by ear because she is better on firmer turf (there is a possibility of rain Saturday).”

After racing twice against Group 1 competition under the Jackson colors in France while trained by Fabrice Chappet, with a second-place finish in the Prix Saint-Alary, Magic Attitude arrived in Delacour's barn in late July. The timing couldn't have been better: the Belmont Oaks Invitational, normally run in July, had been pushed back to Sept. 19 because of COVID-19, giving the conditioner time to sharpen Magic Attitude's edge.

After trailing early, the Great Britain-bred Magic Attitude took off in the stretch, sweeping to victory against her four rivals under Javier Castellano to earn the coveted Grade 1 victory – the third of Delacour's career, and his first for the Jacksons. Magic Attitude followed that up with a strong third-place performance in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Dixiana, also for 3-year-old fillies, on Oct. 10 on good turf at Keeneland.

Magic Attitude received a well-deserved rest before Delacour returned her to training in mid-December at Classic Mile Park in Ocala, where she got in a couple of breezes on Classic Mile's turf before shipping to Tampa Bay Downs in mid-February.

Delacour can't be sure how Magic Attitude will respond to running against older horses for the first time, but he is optimistic.

“She needs to step up, but I think she'll be ready,” he said. “She has an explosive turn of foot and great acceleration for about a sixteenth of a mile, which you like to see from a turf filly.”

Florida Oaks entrant Be Sneaky is a homebred for the Jacksons, by top U.S. sire Into Mischief out of their turf stakes-winning mare Bella Castani. Yet to race on grass, Be Sneaky is 1-for-3, with a second-place finish here in the Suncoast Stakes on Feb. 6 in her most recent start.

Hector Diaz, Jr., will ride Be Sneaky.

“We've always had it in the back of our minds to run this filly on the turf, but at this stage, it's a guessing game,” Delacour said. “She was a little aggressive (in the Suncoast), and we hope she can settle better on the grass and track the speed rather than setting the pace.”

The 45-year-old Delacour was successful switching surfaces at Tampa Bay Downs last year with another Lael Stables homebred, (then)-5-year-old mare Jehozacat. After winning the Wayward Lass Stakes on dirt, she returned three weeks later to win the Grade 3 Lambholm South Endeavour on the grass.

Delacour is seeking his first triumphs in both the Hillsborough and Florida Oaks, but his record of achievement with Lael Stables horses is enviable. He has trained such homebred standouts for the Jacksons as Jehozacat and Grade 3 winners Divining Rod and No Dozing, as well as Grade 2 winner Hawksmoor, also the 2019 Lambholm South Endeavour winner; 2018 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint runner-up Chalon; and multiple-Grade 3 winner Ageless.

“I'm very privileged to train for the Jacksons because of the quality of their stock and their confidence in our training program,” said Delacour, who has been with the couple almost 10 years. “They are great ambassadors for our sport, and they have put together a wonderful team of people that works together for one common goal.

“They take a progressive, step-by-step approach and never rush their horses. It doesn't matter what kind of race you're shooting for – you're trying to get them fit enough to compete, move on and use the race as a stepping stone for the rest of the season.”

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