Wink and a Grin Rallies for MSW Victory at Santa Anita

Arcadia, CA (March 22, 2025) – Showing a dogged willingness to compete, our homebred filly Wink and a Grin overcame several potential excuses to earn her maiden special weight victory second time out going a mile and one-eighth over the fast turf course at Santa Anita.

A field of eight 3-year-old fillies lined-up with Wink and a Grin drawn outside of the grassy affair. She was taking well off the pace in the early going. She gradually improved her position down that backstretch but trouble was afoot. Starting her run, she ran into traffic in front and outside and had to be gathered up. Losing valuable ground, jockey Assael Espinoza asked her again and she responded. She was on the move again, but had to weave her way inside and out. She finally got clear running passing the sixteenth pole and run she did. She caught the leaders in the last couple of jumps to win by a head.

Trained by Carla Gaines, Wink and a Grin is by Smiling Tiger, out of the Acclamation mare, Style Award. Graded stakes winning Harris homebred Lucky J. H. ($632,065).