Santa Anita stakes: Anisette, Newgrange, Watsonville, Easter win

Freshened since a disappointing effort last month, England-bred Anisette was back to her best Tuesday at Santa Anita, where she loomed into contention turning for home and powered past very well-meant Be Your Best to take the Grade 1, $300,000 American Oaks by 1 3/4 lengths.

Anisette got the 1 1/4 miles on the turf in 2:00.22 after early fractions of 24.76, 48.88, 1:13.08 and 1:36.66 in one of the six graded stakes on the opening-day card.

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Trained by Leonard Powell and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, who got his second win of the day, Anisette saved ground at the rail while about 3 1/2 lengths off pace-setting Be Your Best in the run up the backside while a joint third with Sakura Flavor.

Coming to the quarter pole, Rispoli scooted inside Musical Mischief and had Be Your Best measured turning for home en route to her second Grade 1 score dating to a victory in the Del Mar Oaks three starts back Aug. 19.

Most recently second as the odds-on favorite in the Autumn Miss (G3) at Santa Anita on Nov. 5, Anisette was off at 3-5 in a field of five sophomore fillies and paid $3.20, $2.80 and $2.10.

“I think she is back at the top like she was in Del Mar with that kick,” Rispoli said. “We knew she had it. The two starts ago she was beat by Didia, then her last time out the race was falling apart with the horses running away from her. Today was a tactical race again, but I just stayed a couple of lengths behind the speed, and she did the rest.”

Owned by Aron Wellman’s Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Anisette went 1 for 3 in England. She notched her fourth win from six starts since joining Powell’s stable, two of them in Grade 1 stakes. With the winner’s share of $180,000 on Tuesday, Anisette increased her earnings to $606,871.

Be Your Best, the narrow third choice at 7-2 under Irad Ortiz Jr., paid $2.80 and $2.10.

Musical Mischief, second to the top of the lane under Flavien Prat, was the second choice at 7-2 and paid $2.40 to show.

Newgrange cruises to win San Antonio

Ridden for the first time by four-time Eclipse Award champion Irad Ortiz Jr., Phil D’Amato’s Newgrange stalked a speedy Brickyard Ride around the far turn, took command while wide out and went on to cruise to an easy, 2 1/4-length win in the $200,000 San Antonio (G2), stopping the clock for 1 1/16 miles at 1:42.79.

As expected, multiple stakes-winning sprinter Brickyard Ride showed the way early in the San Antonio, setting fractions of 23.26, 47.31, 1:11.11 and 1:36.10.

Although headed by the winner a quarter-mile out, Brickyard Ride battled on gamely at the rail but tired to finish third, beaten by a half-length for second money by Mixto.

A winner of the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) four starts back at Santa Anita on Jan. 28, Newgrange was off at 7-2 in a field of five 3-year-olds and up and paid $9.60, $3.20 and $3.00.

Owned by David Bernsen, Little Red Feather Racing and Rockingham Ranch, Newgrange, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Violence out of the Empire Maker mare Bella Chianti, collected his fourth graded-stakes win and his sixth overall victory from 12 starts.

Five wide turning for home, Mixto, although last coming to the furlong pole, kept to his task and proved second best on the day under Antonio Fresu. Off at 9-1, he paid $6.80 and $3.80.

Ridden by Rispoli and off at 5-1, Brickyard Ride paid $4.20 to show after finishing a half-length in front of Argentina-bred Subsanador, who was making his U.S. debut as the 6-5 favorite.

Stilleto Boy, winner of this year’s Santa Anita Handicap (G1), was never a factor and checked in last with no apparent excuses.

Watsonville wins by nose in Mathis Mile

In an extraordinary effort, trainer Mark Glatt’s upstart Watsonville would not be denied in $200,000 Mathis Mile (G2) as he bested heavily favored Almendares by a nose, providing Glatt with an opening-day hat trick.

Antonio Fresu got a riding double as Watsonville got the one-mile turf affair in 1:34.55 after early fractions of 23.77, 48.20, 1:11.76 and 1:23.16.

Naturally quick from his outside post, Watsonville sat just off long shot Calm Sea into the first turn and stalked him up the backside, eventually gaining the advantage midway around the far turn.

However Calm Sea battled back gamely turning for home, when Almendares put a head in front a sixteenth of a mile out. From there Watsonville seemed to relish the fight, battling back gamely with the favorite to his outside and prevailing narrowly on the money in his first stakes triumph.

Watsonville finished fourth in the Hollywood Derby (G1) on Dec. 2 at Del Mar and, in his only other start at one mile on turf, broke his maiden four starts back July 29. He was off at 9-2 and paid $11.00, $3.80 and $2.60.

Owned by Pine Racing Stables and Saints or Sinners, the 3-year-old colt by the War Front stallion Jack Milton picked up $120,000 for the victory and has three wins from seven starts.

Ridden by Prat, England-bred Almendares, off at 3-5, lost a heartbreaker and returned $2.80 and $2.10 while finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Ireland-bred Dandy Man Shines.

With Rispoli up, Dandy Man Shines was off at 5-2 and paid $2.20 to show.

Powerful finish lifts Easter in San Gabriel

Heavily favored at 3-5, D’Amato-trained France-bred Easter tipped five wide turning for home en route to a powerful, 1 1/4-length victory the $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes (G2).

Ridden by Fresu, Easter was under a snug hold up the backside racing in last by about four lengths passing the half-mile pole. Despite the fact Frankie Dettori had carved out a moderate early pace aboard Eastern Ocean, Easter was simply too much. He ran up his third consecutive stakes victory, getting the 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:47.60 chasing early fractions of 24.64, 48.76, 1:12.66 and 1:36.21.

“This horse was fantastic in the final eighth,” Fresu said. “I was a little concerned about the pace, because we only had six horses. He was really relaxed today, and I took him to the outside in the last quarter.  I tapped him once, and he really quickened. I’m really happy with his performance. He is not an easy horse to trainer or to ride, but I really think there is a lot more there.”

A gutty, half-length winner of the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) going 1 1/16 miles on the turf Nov. 25 at Del Mar, Easter dominated the wagering vs. five rivals, ages 3 and up, and paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10.

A 5-year-old gelding making his second start for D’Amato raced almost exclusively through five starts in New York this year for trainer Graham Motion. Owned by Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables, Easter picked up $120,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $567,910 while improving his overall mark to 19: 7-3-3.

“Antonio said he broke out of the gate a little more lethargic than normal,” D’Amato said. “He got in a good stride down the backside and thought he was going to come with a run. Luckily it worked out. For a Euro he is a really good size. He’s just a horse to me. He has a ton of talent. They didn’t go that fast early. For him to just come from behind and make that big looping move and not look back, he just flew home. ... I think hopefully skies the limit.”

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Missed the Cut raced as a team with Easter to the far turn and finished well to be second, a nose in front of Tio Magico.  Off at 4-1, Missed the Cut paid $3.60 and $2.60.

The 7-2 second choice Tío Mágico, also trained by D’Amato, got the jump with Prat turning for home but was no match late, and he checked in third and paid $2.40 to show.