Smooth Like Strait, Field Pass square off in Mathis Brothers Mile

Trainer Michael McCarthy’s Smooth Like Strait and Mike Maker’s Field Pass headline Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile, one of five graded stakes on Santa Anita’s opening day card this Saturday which has attracted a competitive field of seven sophomores.

A two-time graded winner, Smooth Like Strait comes off a narrow head defeat going a mile and one eighth on turf in the Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 28 and should relish the cutback in distance.

Field Pass, three-time graded winner based in Kentucky who was third, beaten 2 ¼ lengths by Smooth Like Strait two starts back in Santa Anita’s Twilight Derby (G2), comes off a one length tally going a mile and one eighth on synthetic Tapeta at Woodbine Nov. 21 and will try to turn the tables on “Smooth” this Saturday.

Top Contenders

Smooth Like Strait

Owner: Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC

Trainer: Michael McCarthy

Two for four, with one second place finish at one mile on turf, Smooth Like Strait should be plenty tough to beat with Umberto Rispoli riding back in the Mathis. With a 5-2-1-1 mark over the Santa Anita lawn, this homebred colt by Midnight Lute, out of the Flower Alley mare Smooth as Usual can be expected to be forwardly placed as he seeks his sixth win from 12 overall starts.

Field Pass

Owner: Three Diamonds Farm

Trainer: Michael Maker

A win in the Mathis Brothers Mile would cap a tremendous year for this son of Lemon Drop Kid, as he’s won five out of his nine starts while finishing third in three of them. Although he has won on the lead at a mile and one eighth on turf, he’ll likely be in a stalking position on Saturday.

Whisper Not

Owner: Christopher Dunn & Jeremy Peskoff

Trainer: Richard Baltas

This lightly raced English-bred served notice in his U.S. debut on Nov. 29 at Del Mar that he could be a force to be reckoned with this winter. Next to last early in a field of seven, he rallied well to be second, beaten three quarters of a length in a mile and one sixteenth turf allowance at odds of 6-1. Two for five in his native England, he’ll be ridden back by Joel Rosario and looms a very serious threat as he makes his second start for Baltas.