Phil D'Amato's hard-hitting English-bred Almendares retains the services of Flavien Prat and figures to be tough to deny among a field of seven sophomores in Tuesday's Grade 2, $200,000 Mathis Mile on the turf at Santa Anita. The Mathis Mile is one of six graded stakes on an 11-race card on Santa Anita's Classic Meet opening day and has been carded as race nine.
A 3-year-old gelding with a terrific stretch kick, Almendares rallied from far back to win going away by three quarters of a length in a one mile turf second condition allowance Dec. 3 at Del Mar—earning a career best 95 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.
A hard-charging fifth, beaten one length two starts back at 1 1/8 miles on turf in the G2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita Nov. 4, Almendares finished well to be third, beaten one length three starts back in the G2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 3.
Two for five in Ireland and a winner of two of his four starts locally with D'Amato, Almendares is owned by CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gervitz, et al.
An authoritative 2 ¼-length one-mile maiden turf winner in his eighth career start Sept. 9 at Del Mar, the Jeff Mullins-trained Dandy Man Shines rallied for another 2 ¼-length one-mile turf win in the restricted Let It Ride Stakes on Nov. 10 and thus seeks his third win in a row with Umberto Rispoli at the controls on Tuesday.
Owned by Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal, Dandy Man Shines is a 3-year-old gelding coming to his best at a distance he relishes.
GRADE II MATHIS MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
- Reiquist—Irad Ortiz, Jr.—120
- Panic Alarm—Hector Berrios—120
- Calm Sea—Mario Gutierrez—120
- Almendares—Flavien Prat—120
- Ah Jeez—Junior Alvarado—120
- Dandy Man Shines—Umberto Rispoli—122
- Watsonville—Antonio Fresu—120
The post Almendares Seeks First U.S. Stakes Victory In Mathis Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
