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Sumter, LaJolla Handicap (Benoit Photo)
Santa Anita Stable Notes By Victor Ryan
ARCADIA, Calif.—Mandella also looks to have a big shot in the Grade II, $200,000 Santa Anita Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds on grass. Sumter, twice a stakes winner this year at Santa Anita going the same trip, finished his major preparations Friday with a three-furlong blowout in 37.0 seconds.
“Breathing fire,” Mandella proclaimed from Clocker’s Corner following the move.
A homebred for Perry and Ramona Bass, Sumter won the Pasadena Stakes in February and Singletary Stakes in April while vanquishing a pair of rivals he’ll face again on Monday in Balnikhov, the morning-line favorite in the Mathis Mile, and Handy Dandy.
Most recently, Sumter sprinted five furlongs on turf in the Stormy Liberal at Del Mar and closed to be third under Flavien Prat. With Prat opting to ride European import I’m A Gambler for trainer Mark Glatt, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will take over on Sumter in the Mathis Mile.
Finish Lines
First Post For Monday’s 11-Race Card Is 11 A.M. Admission Gates Open At 9 A.M…
Spectacular weather is forecast to greet the on-track crowd for opening day at The Great Race Place on Monday. The National Weather Service iscalling for mostly sunny skies with a high of 80 degrees in Arcadia…
Santa Anita will offer on-track fans a number of promotions on opening day including the TRADITIONAL WALL CALENDAR, which is free with paid admission. This year’s calendar features the track’s past leading riders dating back to Johnny Adams in 1937-38 through defending champ Juan Hernandez…
Jockey Flavien Prat and trainer John Sadler, who guided Flightline to an undefeated season and likely Horse of the Year title, will be at the Kingsbury Fountain on opening day from 9:45 to 10:15 to sign prints of their retired superstar…
Santa Anita is guaranteeing a $1 million payout on opening day to any Single Ticket winner in the 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6…
Track announcer Frank Mirahmadiwill be Tom Quigley’s featured handicapping guest on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 9:50 a.m. on Monday.
