Grand Slam Smile leads a competitive field in the $100,000 Royal Heroine Stakes (G3T) April 25 at Santa Anita Park.
Last out, the 5-year-old Smiling Tiger mare won the Irish O'Brien Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths. She jumps back into graded stakes company, having run third in the Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) going a mile Feb. 28. A homebred for Larry and Marianne Williams, she is slated as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. The Sean McCarthy trainee has won 11 of her 19 career starts and is looking to added a graded win to her collection of nine black-type stakes victories.
Video: Irish O'Brien S. (BT)
Grand Slam Smile will face a tough field, with three challengers already graded winners at the Royal Heroine's conditions of a mile on the grass.
The Mark Glatt trainee, Take A Breath, is coming off a win in the Santa Ana Stakes (G3T), which is run at 1 1/4 miles. She will be shortening back up to a mile for the first time since she was an off-the-board sixth in the Autumn Miss Stakes (G3T) Oct. 26. In 2025, 4-year-old daughter of Bated Breath won two handicaps at a mile in England. Owned by Chivalry Thoroughbred Racing and Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, she is the second choice at odds of 4-1.
At morning-line odds of 9-2, May Day Ready is making her first start for trainer Richard Mandella. Last year's Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) winner was previously trained by Joseph Lee but was moved to the West Coast by owner KatieRich Stables. The 4-year-old daughter of Tapit is making her first start of the year after ending last season seventh in the Valley View Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland. In 2024, May Day Ready was runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T).
Entries: Royal Heroine S. (G3T)
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 25, 2026, Race 9
- Grade IIIT
- 1m
- Turf
- $100,000
- 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
- 5:09 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Innovative (KY) | Ricardo Gonzalez | 120 | Philip D'Amato | 15/1 |
| 2 | 2Tirupati (KY) | Kazushi Kimura | 124 | Jonathan Thomas | 9/2 |
| 3 | 3A Thousand Miles (KY) | Mike E. Smith | 122 | Vann Belvoir | 15/1 |
| 4 | 4Ripassare (KY) | Armando Ayuso | 120 | Philip D'Amato | 10/1 |
| 5 | 5May Day Ready (KY) | Antonio Fresu | 124 | Richard E. Mandella | 9/2 |
| 6 | 6Rosie Jeeks (FL) | Florent Geroux | 120 | Neil D. Drysdale | 15/1 |
| 7 | 7Watchtower (KY) | Welfin R. Orantes | 124 | Richard Baltas | 6/1 |
| 8 | 8Take A Breath (GB) | Emisael Jaramillo | 124 | Mark Glatt | 4/1 |
| 9 | 9Grand Slam Smile (CA) | William Antongeorgi III | 122 | Sean McCarthy | 5/2 |
