California-bred Grand Slam Smile surpasses $1 million in earnings with late surge to win the California Distaff Handicap going 6 ½ furlongs on turf Sunday at Santa Anita

CALIFORNIA-BRED GRAND SLAM SMILE SURPASSES $1 MILLION IN EARNINGS WITH LATE SURGE TO WIN THE CALIFORNIA DISTAFF HANDICAP GOING 6 ½ FURLONGS ON TURF SUNDAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Oct. 11, 2026)—California-bred Grand Slam Smile became racing’s newest millionaire Sunday at Santa Anita when surging late under Juan Hernandez to win the California Distaff Handicap for statebred fillies and mares going 6 ½ furlongs on turf.

Grand Slam Smile settled in mid-pack early, rallied into contention when entering the stretch and then gamely bested 18-1 longshot Miso Phansy by a head at the finish under highweight of 128 pounds, which was 10 pounds more than the runner-up. Finishing another 2 ¼ lengths back in third was 3-1 second choice Rosa Parks.

For Grand Slam Smile, it was her 11th stakes win and pushed her career earnings to more than $1.05 million for owners-breeders Larry D. Williams and Marianne Williams. She has been trained by Sean McCarthy since early 2025 following the retirement of previous trainer Steve Specht.

“This filly, she is a really smart filly. I broke good and then was kind of chasing a little bit today. If she didn’t want to go, then she didn’t want to go,” Hernandez said. “Right away I said, she doesn’t want to go early, I’m just going to leave her alone and just make one run. And that’s what I did. I just kind of sat on her around the backside and it took a little bit to get her engaged and get her in the race again. But turning for home, she switched leads and she passed the other fillies. When she felt the outside filly, she came back again and it was like she didn’t want to lose again today.”

Grand Slam Smile won in a time of 1:14.86 following fractions of 22.81, 45.45 and 1:08.78. The California Distaff was originally scheduled to be run at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course but was moved to the oval turf course due to rain.

“She broke, settled and (Hernandez) didn’t want to rush it, so he played the smart move and said, ‘well I’m not going to rush you, go late and it worked out,’” McCarthy said. “We are really, really happy about that.”

Grand Slam Smile is a 5-year-old mare by Smiling Tiger out of the Grand Slam mare Royal Grand Slam. She entered the race on a rare two-race losing streak having previously been beaten in the GII Great Lady M going 6 ½ furlongs on dirt at Los Alamitos and the Solana Beach for statebreds going one mile on turf at Del Mar. She improved her overall record to 24: 13-6-3.

“I was just talking to (prominent California owner-breeder) Nick Alexander on the way down and I said, ‘if you had five of these in your barn, gosh,” McCarthy said. “He said, ‘one is good enough Sean.’ I said, ‘you’re right, you’re absolutely right, I shouldn’t get too proud.’ It is a privilege to have her and I’m proud. She came back and won today.”

Grand Slam Smile paid $4.20, $3.00 and $2.20. Miso Phansy, ridden by Armando Ayuso for trainer Leonard Powell, returned $8.00 and $3.80.

Live racing resumes Monday with a special 10-race holiday card starting at 1 p.m. PT. Parking is free through Gate 3 off Huntington Drive and fans in attendance will be treated to $2 hot dogs, $2 beers and $2 sodas.

CALIFORNIA DISTAFF HANDICAP QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

JUAN HERNANDEZ, GRAND SLAM SMILE, WINNER: “This filly, she is a really smart filly. I broke good and then was kind of chasing a little bit today. If she didn’t want to go, then she didn’t want to go. Right away I said, she doesn’t want to go early, I’m just going to leave her alone and just make one run. And that’s what I did. I just kind of sat on her around the backside and it took a little bit to get her engaged, and get her in the race again. But turning for home, she switched leads and she passed the other fillies. When she felt the outside filly she came back again and it was like she didn’t want to lose again today. I just want to thank Sean and thank the owners. They bring this filly ready and I mean she is really professional. You can do whatever you want with her.”

TRAINER QUOTES

SEAN MCCARTHY, GRAND SLAM SMILE, WINNER: “For Steve (Specht), in the past she would run from off the pace a little bit and then get up and win. Steve is always telling me, ‘you don’t need the lead, you don’t need the lead.’ But I always say, Steve, she breaks so well you have to let her go. But today as Juan just said she broke, settled and he didn’t want to rush it, so he played the smart move and said well I’m not going to rush you, go late and it worked out. We are really, really happy about that. “I was just talking to Nick Alexander on the way down and I said, ‘if you had five of these in your barn, gosh.’ He said, ‘one is good enough Sean.’ I said, ‘you’re right, you’re absolutely right, I shouldn’t get to proud.’ It is a privilege to have her and I’m proud. She came back and won today.”

NOTES: The winning owners-breeders are Larry D. Williams and Marianne Williams.