'Horses for Courses' on Santa Anita Opening Day

Two "horses for courses" assume the favorite role in turf races opening day at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26. King of Gosford (GB) and Stay Hot renew a budding rivalry in a field of nine for the $200,000 Mathis Mile Stakes (G2T) for 3-year-olds at one mile on the Santa Anita turf. Johannes defends a spotless record on the Santa Anita turf in the $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes (G2T). King of Gosford, a Zoustar (AUS) colt trained by Phil D'Amato, enters the Mathis Mile as the 6-5 morning-line favorite off a fast-closing second in the Hollywood Derby (G1T) Nov. 30 at Del Mar. In that, he came up three-quarters of a length short of the winner, Formidable Man, with Stay Hot fourth, beaten just one length. The two also faced off in the La Jolla Handicap Aug. 4 with Stay Hot the victor, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of King of Gosford. Overall, King of Gosford has five wins from 14 starts and is 3-for-4 on the Santa Anita turf. Stay Hot, a Summer Front ridgling from Peter Eurton's barn, has stayed hot since the La Jolla, finishing second in the Del Mar Derby (G2T) and the Twilight Derby (G2T) at Santa Anita before the fourth in the Hollywood Derby. The La Jolla victory followed a 14th-place showing in the American Turf Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs in April and a three-month break. "That's about as good as he's ever done," Eurton said. "He just loves being fresh and he gets back to where he wants to be. He was just not a happy horse in Kentucky." Stay Hot doesn't mind the Santa Anita greensward either, boasting three wins and a second from five trips on the surface. Several of the others in the Mathis Mile have finished behind the two favorites. The exception is Atitlan, a son of The Factor, who won the Twilight Derby but then regressed to finish seventh in the Hollywood Derby. The Mathis Mile is the ninth of 11 races on the stakes-packed Boxing Day card at Santa Anita. Johannes Heads San Gabriel Field Two heats earlier in the program, Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) runner-up Johannes is the standout in the San Gabriel for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Johannes, a 4-year-old Nyquist colt trained by Tim Yakteen, missed by just three-quarters of a length to More Than Looks in the Breeders' Cup. Before that, he compiled a four-race winning streak consisting of the American Stakes (G3T), the Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T), the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) and the City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T). The City of Hope Mile was a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event for the Breeders' Cup and Yakteen was eager to take advantage of that Annie Oakley. "I'm thrilled with the effort," Yakteen said after the City of Hope. "That's seven out of eight since we went to the turf. Umberto (jockey Rispoli) has done a great job." His stock is further boosted by a 6-for-6 record over the Santa Anita turf. The Nov. 30 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar was the launch pad for several others into the San Gabriel field, including the winner of that 1 1/16-mile heat, Mi Hermano Ramon. The 4-year-old Creative Cause gelding won the Seabiscuit in his third start following 14 months on the bench. Astronomer was third in the Seabiscuit; Easter (FR) was fourth with traffic issues; and Seal Team (GB) finished fifth in his second start back from an 11-month absence. Hector Berrios, who rode Mi Hermano Ramon in the Seabiscuit for trainer Mark Glatt, sang the gelding's praises after that run. "They went fast early and we just got comfortable," Berrios said. "He was fine... When I asked my horse, he really went. He's a nice horse. At the end he was looking around for another horse to beat."