Tuesday’s Best Bet: Watsonville cuts back in Mathis Mile
Tuesday’s ninth race at Santa Anita is the Grade 2 Mathis Mile Stakes for 3-year-olds traveling one mile on the turf course. The scheduled post time is 6 p.m. EST.
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No. 7 Watsonville (5-2) should love this shorter trip. He battled on the pace from post 13, led and then weakened in the Twilight Derby (G2), and he chased above-par fractions before weakening in the late going in the Hollywood Derby (G1) last time. Both of those races were at 1 1/8 miles, and he is back at his winning distance in his third start after a layoff. Antonio Fresu stays put, and he booted this one home twice this year.
No. 4 Almendares (2-1) made up many lengths in an optional-claiming win as the favorite at this distance on turf at Del Mar on Dec. 3. Flavien Prat knows Phil D’Amato’s late runner now, and he should make his presence felt in the lane.
No. 6 Dandy Man Shines (5-2) is on the upswing for Jeff Mullins. He looked good graduating in a flat-mile turf race on Sept. 9, and he easily clicked right back as the favorite in the restricted Let It Ride Stakes on Nov. 10. That last race was a very weak stakes race, and he meets better foes in this event. His regular pilot Umberto Rispoli strings along, and he can make an impact in the lane.
No. 1 Reiquist (12-1) gets the services of Irad Ortiz Jr., and he figures to work out a nice ground saving stalking trip at square odds.
Get Jarrod’s Santa Anita analysis.
Wagers
No. 7 to win
Exacta box 4-7
Trifecta 4-6-7/4-6-7/1
Dec. 3 – Stay Hot ($6.60)
Dec. 9 – Catiche/Mouffy exacta ($30)
Dec. 11 – Masrour ($2.80), exacta ($8), trifecta ($22.80)
Dec. 12 – Empire Pass/Golden Tabby/Bucks Some trifecta ($43.40)
Dec. 13 – Flipping Fish/Henry's World/He’s In Charge trifecta ($202.60)
Dec. 16 – War Campaign ($14.60), exacta ($54.80)
Last Monday – Young Squire ($8.40), exacta ($23.40), trifecta ($81.20)
Sunday – F Five ($5.40)