Share

Latest Articles  Betty Grable Stakes  Grey & Mazarine Stakes  Breeders Cup Wrap Up  Breeders Cup Saturday  Breeders Cup Friday

2026 Betty Grable Stakes Results

Jockey Juan Hernandez aboard Grand Slam Smile after winning the Betty Grable Stakes.

The feature race on the first Sunday of the 2026 Bing Crosby fall meeting at Del Mar was the $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes, a 7 furlong main track sprint for California-bred or sired older fillies and mares. Conditions were typical for early November, with the feature race conducted under sunny skies with a post time temperature of 77 degrees for the 2,555 fans in attendance.

Grand Slam Smile leads down the center

After 3 scratches, a field of 6 went to post with last year's winner Grand Slam Smile sent off as the 11-10 favorite off her win in the California Distaff Handicap. In to challenge her included 8-5 second choice She's No Quant, fifth in the Zenyatta (G2) after finishing second in the Torrey Pines (G3), and 6-1 third choice Clubhouse Cutie, off an allowance win last out.

Jockey Juan Hernandez sent Grand Slam Smile to the lead out of the chute through fractions of 22.32 and 44.73 while pressed by 12-1 Issa Court and stalked by She's No Quant. Turning for home Grand Slam Smile drew away from the field, winning by 5 1/4 lengths over late-running 7-1 fourth choice Big Hug in 1:22.71. It was another 1/2 length back to She's No Quant third.

Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1 Grand Slam Smile Hernandez 4.20 2.80 2.10 6 Big Hug Pereira 4.80 2.60 7 She's No Quant Berrios 2.10 Winning Time: 1:22.71 $1 Exacta 1-6 7.40 $2 Quinella 1-6 11.40 $0.50 Trifecta 1-6-7 7.25 $0.10 Superfecta 1-6-7-4 2.13

Full results chart

Left: Grand Slam Smile in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Sean McCarthy said, "The one hole was a concern and Juan (Hernandez) said 'I'm going to get aggressive there.' We got lucky with the scratch of John's (Sadler) horse next to us. John's horse has speed and it could have been a real speed duel. She broke a little slower today. She's getting older and getting a little wiser about those things and when she cleared the gap she was running on up in there. Once she took a hold of the bridle I was feeling pretty good."

Right: Grand Slam Smile in the paddock before the race. Winning jockey Juan Hernandez said, "No, no special instructions to me. Sean (trainer McCarthy) just told me to 'go do your thing.' She came away from there just a bit slow, so I had to ask her some to get position. But once we got up front, she was on the muscle all the way. She was strong. She's some filly."

Left: Second place finisher Big Hug in the paddock before the race. The Val Brinkerhoff trainee improved her record to 20 wins, 8 seconds, and 5 thirds in 38 starts, earning $556,790 for owners Richard Hedge and Lori Lynn Neyka.

Right: Third place finisher She's No Quant in the paddock. The Edward Freeman trainee improved her record to 3 wins, 1 second, and 1 third in 8 starts, earning $226,900 for owner-breeder Reddam Racing.

Back to Horse-Races.Net main page