The top three finishers of the San Marcos Stakes (G3T) return to test each other again going a quarter-mile farther in the March 21 San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park. None of them is the morning-line favorite.
Gold Phoenix, an 8-year-old gelded son of Belardo, is the early 7-5 favorite in the San Luis Rey, which is run at 1 1/2 miles and starts on Santa Anita's hillside turf course. He was the even-money favorite in the San Marcos but ran three wide throughout the 1 1/4-mile race and then never responded when given running room at the top of the stretch.
A win at 1 1/2 miles has eluded Gold Phoenix after five tries at the distance but he owns four grade 2 wins going 1 3/8 miles, having captured consecutive editions of the Del Mar Handicap (G2T) in 2022-25. Trained by Phil D'Amato, Gold Phoenix has won at least one graded stakes each year from 2022 through 2025, and at least two each of the last three years.
A brilliant late kick by Mondego delivered a win in the San Marcos, but this first win in a graded stakes for the 6-year-old gelding by Lope de Vega left him at 6-1 in the morning line against other more seasoned graded stakes winners. Among those challengers with a deeper résumé is George Strawbridge Jr.'s homebred Truly Quality, a 6-year-old gelding by Quality Road . Truly Quality ran a close third in the San Marcos, just missing the second place by a head to Flashiest.
In Strawbridge's Augustin Stables colors, Truly Quality has won three graded stakes that include a second consecutive win in the 1 1/2-mile Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar last November.
Flashiest has not won a stakes since 2021, though he has four runner-up finishes in graded stakes to his credit since then. Maybe the San Marcos will be the 8-year-old Mizzen Mast gelding's springboard to his first graded win.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, March 21, 2026, Race 9Entries: San Luis Rey S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Flashiest (KY) Armando Ayuso 122 Leonard Powell 12/1 2 2Truly Quality (KY) Antonio Fresu 124 Jonathan Thomas 5/2 3 3Balnikhov (IRE) Juan J. Hernandez 124 Philip D'Amato 9/2 4 4Gold Phoenix (IRE) Hector Isaac Berrios 124 Philip D'Amato 7/5 5 5Mondego (GB) Emisael Jaramillo 124 Michael W. McCarthy 6/1 6 6City Exile (GB) Tiago Josue Pereira 120 George Papaprodromou 20/1 7 7Living Life (KY) Ricardo Gonzalez 120 Ronald W. Ellis 30/1 8 8Watsonville (KY) Mike E. Smith 124 Mark Glatt 12/1
Irish Eyes May be Smiling
Grand Slam Smile is a formidable competitor in the Irish O'Brien Stakes turf sprint on the March 21 card, having never missed a win or placed finish in 18 career starts.
The 5-year-old mare by Smiling Tiger is a homebred for Larry and Marianne Williams and the 6-5 morning-line favorite for the 6 1/2-furlong turf sprint. Grand Slam Smile comes into the race off a third Feb. 28 in the Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) going a mile at Santa Anita. Prior to the Buena Vista, however, she won back-to-back stakes in the 7-furlong Betty Grable Stakes on the dirt and then in the 6 1/2-furlong Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint Stakes.
In the Irish O'Brien, Grand Slam Smile will face again Reddam Racing homebred Take Another Card and Prancingthruparis, a homebred for Ciaglia Racing, SAF Racing, and Harry Crusberg. They finished second and third, respectively, against the morning-line favorite in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, March 21, 2026, Race 7Entries: Irish O'Brien S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Grand Slam Smile (CA) William Antongeorgi III 124 Sean McCarthy 6/5 2 2Moment's Pleasure (CA) Emisael Jaramillo 124 Craig Anthony Lewis 15/1 3 3Young Love (CA) Armando Aguilar 122 Peter Miller 7/2 4 4Take Another Card (CA) Antonio Fresu 124 Simon Callaghan 5/1 5 5Prancingthruparis (CA) Juan J. Hernandez 124 Peter Eurton 5/2 6 6Miss Practical (CA) Hector Isaac Berrios 120 Carla Gaines 12/1
