Mathis Brothers Mile 2015 at Santa Anita

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, December 26 from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A group of three year olds will take to Santa Anita's turf track and race one mile searching for the winner's share of the $200,000 purse.

A field of 12 have been confirmed for the Mathis Brothers Mile - race 6 on Santa Anita's packed Saturday card. Post time is 3:00 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all 12 combatants for this Grade 2 stakes.

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2015 Mathis Brothers Mile Race Favorites

Om 5-2 - has nine career starts for trainer Dan Hendricks with four wins, a second and two third place finishes. He has placed in six straight races ahead of this weekend - a somewhat disappointing third as favorite last time out in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar November 28 followed two good wins - the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at this distance here October 24 and in gate-to-wire fashion in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby September 6. Before that was a second as favorite behind Prospect Park in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap August 9, a third in his graded stakes debut - the Grade 3 Affirmed and a dominating 2 1/4 length Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita in May. Om is one of two horses to ever beat American Pharoah - by 7 1/4 lengths back in August and has been very good in the lead-up to this race. He looks like the one to beat as he leaves from gate 10 with Gary Stevens aboard./p>

Mister Brightside 4-1 - Irish bred Patrick Gallagher trained colt has placed in nine of 11 career starts - three wins, three seconds and three third place finishes. He made his North American debut October 24 and finished a respectable second in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby but followed that with a ninth last time out in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby November 28. At home he had a third at Doncaster September 9 after three wins in his previous four starts. Mister Brightside has been a tad difficult to figure out and looks for his first stakes win from gate 5 with Mike Smith scheduled to ride the morning line second choice.

Mathis Brothers Mile 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Vigilante 6-1 - Phil D'Amato trained colt makes his stakes debut Saturday having posted two wins and two second place finishes in his four career starts. He enters on a two race win streak - an Allowance last time out at Keeneland October 21 and a maiden score at Saratoga in August. Vigilante has been impressive so far but takes a huge step up in competition Saturday. Joe Talamo has the mount from post 9 on the third betting choice.

Soul Driver 8-1 - has 12 career starts for trainer Jeff Mullins with three wins, two seconds and a third place finish and enters having failed to place in his last three starts overall. Last time out was a sixth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby November 28 after consecutive fifths - the Grade 2 Twilight Derby October 24 and the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby September 6. Before that was two straight wins - both minor stakes including the Oceanside Stakes July 16 and by 4 1/2 lengths in the Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita in June. He does have two other graded stakes starts - both were fifth place finishes - the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate in February and the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes in November, 2014. Soul Driver will be out to place in graded stakes company for the first time from post 5 with Tyler Baze in the reins.

Fueled by Bourbon 10-1 - Peter Miller trained colt will race in graded stakes company for the first time Saturday off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming November 22, a fourth in the minor Let It Ride Stakes October 31 (both results at Del Mar), a Claiming score here October 15 and off-the-board finishes in a pair of minor stakes races. He has three wins and a second place finish in eight career starts and will be hoping for his first stakes win - from the outside post 12 with Joel Rosario aboard.

Ocho Ocho Ocho 10-1 - will race for the eighth time for trainer James Cassidy having posted three wins and a third place finish so far. Last time out was a fourth in the Grade 3 Penn Mile way back on May 30 which followed a fourteenth place finish in the Kentucky Derby, an OK third in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes and an eighth in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita March 7. Before that were three starts and three wins including his graded stakes debut- the Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot last November 22, in his stakes debut - by 5 3/4 lengths the minor Juvenile Turf Sprint Stakes at Santa Anita November 1, 2014 and a maiden score at first asking in October of that year. Ocho Ocho Ocho had looked good to start his career but has fallen off in his last four starts overall albeit against names like Dortmund, Carpe Diem, and American Pharoah. He leaves from post 11 looking to cure his inconsistent ways in his grass debut with Santiago Gonzalez guiding him.

Crittenden 12-1 - Eoin Harty trained gelding won the minor P D J F Stakes at Indiana Grand in May and went on to a good second in the Grade 3 American Derby at Arlington in July. He struggled a bit after that - a fifth in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes August 8 was followed by a fourth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby September 6 and a good bounce back win two starts back in the minor Let It Ride Stakes at Del Mar October 31. Last time out was a step back however - a twelfth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar November 28. Crittenden has 12 career starts with four wins, a second and a third place finish and looks for his first graded stakes score in inconsistent form - from post 3 with Martin Garcia in the irons.

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Acceptance 12-1 - had two minor stakes scores at this time last year for trainer Kenneth Black. Last time out was a career worst effort in his only graded stakes action to date - an eleventh in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar November 28 which followed a second behind Crittenden in the minor Let It Ride Stakes October 31, nine months away and a fourth in the minor California Cup Derby in January. He has three wins and a second place finish in six career starts and will be chasing his first stakes win from post 7 with Alonso Quinonez in the irons.

Ground Rules 12-1 - has six career starts for trainer Cliff Sise with two wins and a second place finish. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday off a sixth in the minor Let It Ride Stakes at Del Mar October 31, a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track October 8, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar September 6 and an unfortunate DNF in July. He has been so-so so far but takes a major step up in competition Saturday. Rafael Bejarano gets the call from the rail.

Perfectly Majestic 12-1 - Robert Hess trained gelding has placed in eight of nine career starts - two wins, two seconds and four third place finishes. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday on the heels of consecutive third place finishes - an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out November 22 and the minor Let It Ride Stakes October 31. Before that were an Allowance Optional Claiming score in August and another third in an Allowance in July - all at Del Mar. He has been competitive so far but takes a major step up in competition in this one. Kent Desormeaux has been tabbed to ride from gate 2.

Professor Berns 15-1 - Peter Gallagher trained gelding makes his stakes debut having recorded two wins and a third place finish in nine career starts. Last time out was a good win in an Allowance at Del Mar November 7 after a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming here October 2 and a Maiden Claiming score at Del Mar in August. Professor Berns has won two of his last three starts overall but hasn't been scared to throw in a dud as well. Not a whole lot is expected in his leap up in competition from gate 4 with Brice Blanc guiding him.

Ike Walker 20-1 - Doug O'Neill trained gelding has 18 career starts already with six wins, three seconds and a third place finish and has 13 starts this year with five wins, three seconds and a third place finish. He enters on a nice three race win streak - all Starter Allowance races at different tracks in California. He has placed in six straight races ahead of this weekend (four wins and two seconds) and hopes that his success translates in his first stakes action. Victor Espinoza will try to keep the impressive roll going from gate 8.


2015 Mathis Brothers Mile Entries & Odds

Race 6 on Santa Anita's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:47 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Ground Rules Rafael Bejarano Clifford Sise, Jr.
12-1
2 Perfectly Majestic Kent Desormeaux Robert Hess, Jr.
12-1
3 Crittenden Martin Garcia Eoin Harty
12-1
4 Professor Berns Brice Blanc Patrick Gallagher
15-1
5 Soul Driver Tyler Baze Jeff Mullins
8-1
6 Mister Brightside (IRE) Mike Smith Patrick Gallagher
4-1
7 Acceptance Alonso Quinonez Kenneth Black
12-1
8 Ike Walker Victor Espinoza Doug O'Neill
20-1
9 Vigilante Joseph Talamo Philip D'Amato
6-1
10 Om Gary Stevens Dan Hendricks
5-2
11 Ocho Ocho Ocho Santiago Gonzalez James Cassidy
10-1
12 Fueled by Bourbon Joel Rosario Peter Miller
10-1