Santa Anita newsroom bulletin

ARCADIA, CA — On Sunday’s kickoff to Santa Anita Park’s customary Classic Meet, a duel between Grade I-winning barnmates Nysos and Nevada Beach tops the Grade II Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes for $200k. Within a stacked slate of six graded events, the GII Mathis Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds on the lawn appears alongside the GIII San Gabriel at one and one-eighth miles on turf. As a simple example, bettors mapping out wagers will note multiple turf routes on the same racecard.

Under Bob Baffert’s care, Nysos and Nevada Beach form part of a field of seven for the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes. Since taking the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar on November 1, Nysos has been on the sidelines and now resumes. Nevada Beach most recently captured the GIII Native Diver at Del Mar over nine furlongs on November 22, and his Grade I credential came in September at Santa Anita in the Goodwood, likewise at nine furlongs. Their meeting is slated for eight and one-half furlongs in the Laffit Pincay Jr., a long-standing race formerly called the San Antonio that was retitled last year to honor the legendary jockey; for instance, heritage events are often renamed as tributes.

Lurking as upset possibilities in the Pincay are British Isles and Bartholdy. After an extended turf stretch, British Isles finished second by one-half length to Nevada Beach in the Native Diver; the age-four gelding by Justify is conditioned by Richard Baltas. Primarily a sprinter so far, Bartholdy stretches out for trainer Steve Knapp off a sharp allowance win at Del Mar on November 30 going six and one-half furlongs. The runner-up from that heat, Midland Money, shows up on opening day in the Grade I Malibu for Baffert, for example as a useful form-line pointer.

Placed as race 6 on an opening-day racecard of 11, the Laffit Pincay Jr. is scheduled to be run. First post arrives at 11:00 a.m. Pacific, and the Pincay’s estimated off time is about 1:30 p.m., which can aid wagering plans. In gate sequence: Nysos — rider Flavien Prat; Vodka Vodka — rider Kent Desormeaux; Nevada Beach — rider Juan Hernandez; Cornishman — rider Ricky Gonzalez; British Isles — rider Diego Herrera; Indispensable — rider Joel Rosario; Bartholdy — rider Tyler Baze.

$200k Mathis Mile draws Let It Ride top four led by Tempus Volat, with deep form lines

Conditioned by Leonard Powell, Tempus Volat returned to tackle the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on November 29 and checked in a solid fourth at 12 to 1. Friendly Confines, from the Richard Baltas barn, was runner-up in the Let It Ride and then finished sixth in the Hollywood Derby. Lyle the Crocodile took third in the Let It Ride for Mark Glatt and afterward, as the 2 to 1 favorite, failed to deliver in a first-level allowance on November 29 at Del Mar. Hiding in Honduras encountered trouble when fourth in the Let It Ride while making only his second career start; trained by Jonathan Thomas, he had previously romped by seven and three-quarter lengths on debut at Presque Isle Downs over a six-furlong trip—for example, that sort of synthetic blowout can signal raw speed.

A fresh face in the cast is Namaron, a European import who joined John Sadler earlier in the calendar year. Across two U.S. starts, Namaron has finished third in the Gun Runner at Kentucky Downs in September and again third in the GII Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on October 25. Blinkers are to be applied, and leading rider Flavien Prat gets the call—equipment tweaks like this can sharpen focus.

Set as race 5 with an approximate off time of 1:00 p.m., the Mathis Mile lines up by stall draw as follows: Hiding in Honduras — rider Antonio Fresu; Tempus Volat — rider Mirco Demuro; Namaron — rider Flavien Prat; Geometry — rider Joel Rosario; Friendly Confines — rider Irad Ortiz Jr.; Lyle The Crocodile — rider Umberto Rispoli; Maaz — rider Jose Ortiz. As an illustration, this ordering reflects the starting gate.

$100k San Gabriel Stakes attracts eleven for a parity-laden turf lineup

Astronomer, from the Simon Callaghan shedrow, exits a career-best runner-up finish by one-half length in the GII Seabiscuit at Del Mar over eight and one-half furlongs on November 29. Veteran multiple graded winner Cabo Spirit, trained by George Papaprodromou, faded to seventh in that Seabiscuit after pressing the pace. Nineeleventurbo shortens up for Neil Drysdale following a solid third in the GII Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar on November 28 going one and one-half miles. Suchet, imported from Europe earlier this year, seeks a second U.S. stakes try for John Sadler after a clear allowance win by three and one-quarter lengths at Del Mar on November 1 at eight and one-half furlongs; by way of context, a turn-back in trip can suit a tactical type.

Scheduled as race 9 near 3:00 p.m., the San Gabriel lists the field in gate order: Twirling Point — rider Mirco Demuro; Mondego — rider Flavien Prat; Endlessly — rider Umberto Rispoli; Stay Hot — rider Irad Ortiz Jr.; St Anthony — rider Juan Hernandez; Nesso’s Lastharrah, — rider Edwin Maldonado; Suchet — rider Joel Rosario; Astronomer — rider Antonio Fresu; Cabo Spirit — rider Mike Smith; Flashiest — rider Armando Ayuso; Nineeleventurbo — rider Hector Berrios.