Top two hope to bounce back in San Luis Rey

ARCADIA, Calif. – A pair of veteran stakes winners who were stymied last month at 1 1/4 miles seek redemption stretching to 1 1/2 miles on turf Saturday at Santa Anita in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes.

Gold Phoenix and Truly Quality enter as top choices despite last-out losses, while Mondego and Watsonville enter with upset credentials. Eight older horses are entered in the $100,000 San Luis Rey, the ninth and final race on Saturday.

The most accomplished entrant is eight-time graded-stakes winner Gold Phoenix, the 7-5 program favorite despite a Feb. 14 comeback that was a bust. Now 8, he finished seventh as an even-money favorite in the Grade 3 San Marcos at Santa Anita.

“He’ll throw in a clunker every now and then,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “I’m hoping that’s it.”

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A wide trip compromised Gold Phoenix in the San Marcos, which was his first start in more than three months. Gold Phoenix raced wide start to finish under Kazushi Kimura and lost by 3 1/2 lengths.

Since then, D’Amato said Gold Phoenix “couldn’t be training any better.”

“Hector Berrios breezed him, he won on him [in 2023], and they’re reunited, so we’ll give it a go,” D’Amato said of his jockey for the race.

Gold Phoenix has won 10 races and $2.3 million from 30 starts and will try to become the second 8-year-old to win the San Luis Rey in the last four years. Acclimate was 8 when he won the race in 2022.

Truly Quality finished third in the San Marcos, and benefits from the stretch-out to 1 1/2 miles. Jonathan Thomas trains Truly Quality, a 6-year-old gelding with six wins, including the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar. Antonio Fresu is Truly Quality’s new rider.

Mondego upset the San Marcos with a ground-saving trip under jockey Emisael Jaramillo. Mondego’s trainer, Michael McCarthy, expects the gelding to maintain form.

“Seems like he’s trained well the last five weeks here,” McCarthy said.

As for the distance, McCarthy said, “I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.”

If Jaramillo orchestrates another rail trip with Mondego, the 4-for-19 gelding could make it two straight wins.

Watsonville looms a viable upset candidate, stretching out from a series of mile races. A Grade 2 winner as a 3-year-old, Watsonville is now 6 and trying to reinvent himself as a long-distance horse for trainer Mark Glatt.

“He’s at a point in his career, to be a stakes horse, he’s probably going to have to do something a little different,” Glatt said. “These further races, he’s pretty steady. It might work for him.”

Mike Smith rides Watsonville, who figures to be forwardly placed setting or pressing a soft pace.

Watsonville has won 4 of 14 and is listed on the morning line at a generous 12-1.

Others in the San Luis Rey include San Marcos runner-up Flashiest, Grade 3 winner Balnikhov, City Exile, and Living Life. Favorites have won the San Luis Rey six of the last eight years.

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