Smooth Like Strait Moves To California's Eclipse Thoroughbred Farm For 2026

Eclipse Thoroughbred Farm in Solvang, Calif., is proud to announce that multiple graded stakes winner Smooth Like Strait will stand his third breeding season in California, alongside Nick Alexander’s highly respected stallion, Grazen.

After standing his first two seasons in Kentucky, this move brings Smooth Like Strait back to the state where he enjoyed most of his racing success.

Trained by Michael McCarthy and bred and campaigned by Cannon Thoroughbreds, Smooth Like Strait built his reputation primarily on the California circuit, capturing some of the state’s most prestigious turf contests. His graded stakes victories include the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile, G2 Mathis Brothers Mile, G2 Twilight Derby, G3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes, G3 La Jolla Handicap, and the War Chant Stakes. 

A versatile runner, he also posted a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 119 and proved competitive on both dirt and turf.

Smooth Like Strait, a Grade 1-winning son of Midnight Lute, earned over $1.8 million on the racetrack

McCarthy said, “Not many horses have run triple-digit Beyers as often as Smooth Like Strait did in California (18 in a total of 26 starts). That consistency set him apart.”

Smooth Like Strait retired sound after earning $1,813,863 from 26 starts, with a record of seven wins, nine seconds and three thirds. Among his 10 graded-stakes placings were runner-up finishes in the 2021 FanDuel Breeders Cup Mile (by a head), and G1 Arlington Million.

Smooth Like Strait will stand the 2026 breeding season at Eclipse Thoroughbred Farm for a fee of $3,500 LFG.

This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Sep 4, 2025.