Mirth, coaxed along magnificently by Mike Smith, led from start to finish to score a 6-1 upset in the Grade 1, $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes for female grass horses on Saturday at Santa Anita, giving her a fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and giving trainer Phil D'Amato a sweep of the day's 1 1/4-mile grass stakes on turf. He won the John Henry earlier with Cleopatra's Strike.

Mirth got through the first six furlongs in 1:11.05, got a breather from Smith on the final turn, and kicked away in upper stretch. She crossed the wire 1 1/4 lengths in front of Beau Recall, the 6-5 favorite, with Elysea's World a neck farther back in third.

Little Red Feather Racing owns Mirth, a 4-year-old filly by Colonel John. The win was her fifth in 16 starts. She was part of a silly, fast pace in the CTT and TOC Stakes in her last start and Del Mar on Aug. 16 and faded to fifth in that 1 3/8-mile grass race. With less pace pressure today, and a switch to Smith, she stepped up, beat better competition, and earned a spot in the Breeders' Cup.

Steve Andersen will have a full report later at www.drf.com