Long On Value returns to California for Mathis Brothers Mile
ARCADIA, Calif. – The well-traveled Long On Value has thrived away from trainer Bill Mott’s eastern base this year.
In September, Long On Value won the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby at a mile on turf at Canterbury Park, his first win of the year. On Oct. 31, the first day of the Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita, Long On Value won the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf on the card.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Long On Value. Trainer Bill Mott is 22-1-3-2 with a $0.19 ROI over the past two years in turf routes with Mike Smith aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Friday, Long On Value is back at Santa Anita for the $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile, far from Mott’s wintertime stable in south Florida. Long On Value figures to be a leading contender in a competitive field.
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The Mathis Brothers Mile has drawn a field of 14, but will be limited to 12 starters. Of the entrants in the main field, nine are stakes winners and the other three are stakes-placed.
Mathis Brothers Mile, race 7
KEY CONTENDERS
Long On Value (Last 3 Beyers: 89-89-86)
◗ Owned by Wachtel Stable and George Kerr, Long On Value has won 5 of 13 starts and earned $418,388. Mike Smith will ride the horse for the first time.
Mott considered Long On Value for the Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Nov. 29, but abandoned the idea when the colt showed signs of illness. He said Long On Value recovered quickly, making another trip to California possible.
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◗ For the Mathis Brothers Mile, a race formerly known as the Sir Beaufort Stakes, Mott has confidence Long On Value can excel.
“I’ve always thought he was a little better at a mile,” Mott said.
◗ Smith figures to have Long On Value in a stalking position behind a pace likely to be set by the stakes winners Red Outlaw and Heart to Heart.
Home Run Kitten (Last 3 Beyers: 88-93-84)
◗ Home Run Kitten won the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes on the hillside turf course on Sept. 26, but was 11th, beaten four lengths by Bobby’s Kitten, in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 1.
“He tried to come up the inside,” trainer David Hofmans said. “This horse prefers to come up the outside.”
◗ Earlier this year, Home Run Kitten won the Singletary Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
Talco (Last 3 Beyers: 89-86-88)
◗ A two-time winner in France earlier this year, Talco is winless in three starts in California, the most recent being a third behind California Chrome and Lexie Lou in the Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The race may have been beyond Talco’s ideal distance, trainer John Sadler said.
“I think needs a shorter distance,” Sadler said. “The Hollywood Derby was a loaded race. There was no pace. In a mile race, you usually get some pace in there.”
Heart to Heart (Last 3 Beyers: 100-94-96)
◗ Heart to Heart, trained by Brian Lynch, is on a three-race winning streak – the Better Talk Now Stakes at Saratoga in August, the Grade 3 Jefferson Cup at Churchill Downs in September, and the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 15. In all three races, he has led throughout.
Awesome Return (Last 3 Beyers:89-85-87)
◗ Awesome Return has won three restricted stakes on turf this year. The Mathis Brothers Mile is his graded stakes debut, and worth a try, trainer Mike Puype said. A California-bred, Awesome Return has won 4 of 9 starts and earned $330,780.
“It’s by far his toughest race,” trainer Mike Puype said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked of him. He’s made a lot of money.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Red Outlaw. Trainer Peter Miller is 39-2-3-4 with a $0.63 ROI over the past five years going synthetic to turf and sprint to route. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Sawyer's Hill. Trainer Kristin Mulhall is 24-5-4-5 with a $3.66 ROI over the past five years in turf routes in the third start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan