Beyond Brilliant Carries Momentum Into Mathis Mile
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Beyond Brilliant captures the Hollywood Derby at Del Mar
Hall of Fame rider Kent Desormeaux has captured three past runnings of the Santa Anita Mathis Mile Stakes (G2T), formerly known as the Sir Beaufort Stakes. In this year's edition, he has a chance to win a fourth as Desormeaux and his mount, C R K Stable's Beyond Brilliant , appear flushed with momentum heading into the $200,000, one-mile turf contest for 3-year-olds Dec. 26.
Desormeaux rebounded off a slow 2020 to snap up three graded stakes this year, two of which occurred last month in the Hollywood Derby (G1T) aboard Beyond Brilliant and the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) aboard Say the Word .
The pairing of Desormeaux and Beyond Brilliant has proven to be a fruitful partnership. Desormeaux first took the reins on the son of Twirling Candy in a Sept. 6 allowance optional claiming race at Del Mar, and the duo broke on top and never looked back as they soared to a three-length tally. A free-running type of horse preferring to set the pace, the John Shirreffs trainee was outrun early in his stakes debut and checked in third in the Oct. 31 Twilight Derby (G2T), finishing 1 3/4 lengths behind the victorious Subconscious .
Ignored at 10-1 in the Nov. 27 Hollywood Derby, Desormeaux and Beyond Brilliant shotgunned to the front and commanded the field from beginning to end, gamely fending off a late bid from Santin . Desormeaux was quick to comment on the colt's improved attitude and focus in the Hollywood Derby.
"All credit for this win goes to the barn," said Desormeaux after the race. "They've done wonders with this horse over the past month. When I rode him last time (Twilight Derby), he was a handful to control. Today he was easy. He was dry as a bone in the paddock and he was happy out on the racetrack. His mind was right. And he showed he can sprint that last part."
Beyond Brilliant and Desormeaux will break from post 8 on Sunday in a race that lacks speed with the exception of Cane Creek Road , who makes his first start off the claim for trainer Doug O'Neill.
Du Jour is led into the winner's circle after winning the American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs
Two intriguing contenders in the Mathis Mile entering the race off a barn change are the Bob Baffert-trained Du Jour and the Ed Moger Jr.-trained Tarantino . The former, owned by Baffert's wife Jill and Debbie Lanni, made the first five starts of his career under Baffert, punctuated by a victory in the American Turf Stakes Presented by Derby City Gaming (G2T) on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) undercard. Transferred to the care of Bill Mott for a New York summer campaign, the Temple City colt was fourth in the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T) and third in the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1T) before turning in a lackluster performance when eighth in the Sept. 5 Big Ass Fans Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs.
Flavien Prat will be reunited with Du Jour for the Mathis Mile.
Tarantino began his career on the West Coast, scoring in his 2-year-old debut for Baffert and dropping a nose decision in the Zuma Beach Stakes. Shipped east to Rodolphe Brisset, he ran five times, including a runner-up finish in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3). The son of Pioneerof the Nile passed through the sales ring for the ELiTE consignment at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale where he was acquired by Steve Moger for $235,000. The bay tuned up for Sunday's race with a sharp :59 4/5 five-furlong drill Dec. 19 on the Santa Anita main track. He has been in training with Moger's brother, Ed Moger Jr.
Juan Hernandez has the call on Tarantino.
Santa Anita Park, Sunday, December 26, 2021, Race 7Entries: Santa Anita Mathis Mile S. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1None Above the Law (CA)
Joe Bravo
124
Ruben D. Alvarado
6/1
2
2Tarantino (KY)
Juan J. Hernandez
120
Ed Moger, Jr.
8/1
3
3Airman (KY)
UMBERTO RISPOLI
120
John A. Shirreffs
10/1
4
4Zoffarelli (IRE)
Drayden Van Dyke
122
Jeff Mullins
8/1
5
5Cane Creek Road (KY)
Victor Espinoza
120
Doug F. O'Neill
20/1
6
6Flashiest (KY)
Abel Cedillo
122
Leonard Powell
6/1
7
7Du Jour (KY)
Flavien Prat
122
Bob Baffert
3/1
8
8Beyond Brilliant (KY)
Kent J. Desormeaux
124
John A. Shirreffs
5/2
9
9Law Professor (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
120
Michael W. McCarthy
8/1
