Mo Forza Sets Sights on Mathis Brothers Mile

Brady Farm and OG Boss' Mo Forza will have his work cut out for him the $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T) Dec. 28 at Santa Anita Park. The Peter Miller trainee will be pitted against 10 other 3-year-old turf runners as he attempts to add one more graded win to his résumé before year's end. 

While it may have taken Mo Forza a few tries to kick start his career on the racetrack, the Uncle Mo  colt has steadily improved since breaking his maiden Sept. 29 at Santa Anita. Mo Forza made short work of his competition in the Nov. 2 Qatar Twilight Derby (G2T), besting the likes of seasoned runners such as grade 1 winner Henley's Joy by a handy 1 3/4 lengths.

Less than 30 days later he was back to earn his first top-level victory at Del Mar, defeating 11 others to take the Nov. 30 Hollywood Derby (G1T) three quarters of a length. Mo Forza will break from post 5 under regular rider Joel Rosario. 

Hoping to get the upper hand over Mo Forza this time around will be Hollywood Derby runner-up Neptune's Storm, who last graced the winner's circle in the Oct. 5 Hill Prince Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park. 

Owned in partnership by CYBT, Saul Gevertz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig, and Daniel Weiner, the Stormy Atlantic gelding has hit the board in all 10 of his starts this season. Trained by Richard Baltas, Neptune's Storm earned stakes wins in the Singletary Stakes and Cinema Stakes in the spring and finished third to Mo Forza in the Twilight Derby. He will partner with Abel Cedillo from post 6. 

Also making a start for Baltas in Saturday's race is Zayat Stables' homebred Bob and Jackie. The Twirling Candy  colt won the Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita at 2 before taking extended time off. He returned to the track Nov. 9 in the Let It Ride Stakes at Del Mar, where he defeated fellow Mathis Brothers starter Proud Pedro by a nose. Heriberto Figueroa will have the call on Bob and Jackie from the outside post 11. 

Making their first starts in the United States for trainer Mark Glatt and owners Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal are a pair of Great Britain-bred runners in Sash and Barristan The Bold. A two-time handicap winner in England, Sash will partner with Drayden Van Dyke on the rail. Barristan The Bold will be guided by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano from post 9. 

Entries: Mathis Brothers Mile S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, December 28, 2019, Race 10

• Grade IIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo
• 4:00 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Sash (GB)	Drayden Van Dyke	120	Mark Glatt	12/1
2	2Originaire (IRE)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	120	Jeff Mullins	15/1
3	3Ocean Fury (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Doug F. O'Neill	12/1
4	4Never Easy (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	120	Richard E. Mandella	15/1
5	5Mo Forza (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Peter Miller	9/5
6	6Neptune's Storm (KY)	Abel Cedillo	124	Richard Baltas	3/1
7	7Kingly (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	122	Bob Baffert	6/1
8	8Proud Pedro (FR)	Tyler Baze	120	Leonard Powell	15/1
9	9Barristan The Bold (GB)	Javier Castellano	120	Mark Glatt	12/1
10	10Loafers Boy (CA)	Tiago Josue Pereira	120	Andrew Lerner	50/1
11	11Bob and Jackie (KY)	Heriberto Figueroa	122	Richard Baltas	6/1