Vazquez pulls perfect trip on One More Bid to upset Mathis Mile in opener
ARCADIA, Calif. – The improving One More Bid was due for good fortune, and the tough-luck gelding got it Monday at Santa Anita, where he kicked off the winter season meet with an upset bang in the first race of the meet.
The longest shot in the six-runner Grade 2 Santa Anita Mathis Mile, One More Bid ($35) benefited from a perfect trip under jockey Ramon Vazquez to win by a nose over favorite Balnikhov in the turf mile for 3-year-olds. Sumter set the pace and tired to third, three-quarters of a length in front of I’m A Gambler.
One More Bid’s win payoff was the highest in the 23-year history of the Mathis, a turf mile for 3-year-olds. It was first graded stakes victory at Santa Anita for trainer Ryan Hanson, and second graded stakes win of his Thoroughbred training career.
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Hanson said One More Bid “has been a tough-luck maiden, he’s had a lot of bad-luck trips.” One More Bid won a maiden race last out in his eighth start, after which Hanson targeted the Mathis.
“This is the last chance to run against 3-year-olds, the timing was right, and he’d been working really good,” Hanson said.
He also got a perfect trip under Vazquez. One More Bid sat second behind the pace, got first run into the lane, and held off Balnikhov to win by a nose in 1:33.67. He earned a career-best 91 Beyer Figure.
“I had a perfect trip. I had a lot of horse on the backside,” Vazquez said. “He’s getting better and better.”
Balnikhov ran well under Flavien Prat, but was simply second best under Tyler Gafflione. Trainer Phil D’Amato said, “My horse tried. I’m happy with his performance; we just got beat a nostril.”
The Mathis disappointment was 2-1 second choice I’m A Gambler. He saved ground in fourth, had to wait for room, and then raced evenly. Handy Dandy and Time to Party completed the order of finish. Agatino scratched.
One More Bid, sired by California Chrome, is owned by a partnership that includes California Racing Partners, Joe Ciaglia, and Hanson.
Dicey Mo Chara heads 1-2 Powell finish in San Gabriel
One hour later in the third race Monday, trainer Leonard Powell finished one-two in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes as Dicey Mo Chara won the 1 1/8-mile turf race by a half-length over longshot Flashiest. The 6-5 favorite Masteroffoxhounds finished third.
Juan Hernandez rode Dicey Mo Chara, who saved ground midfield, angled outside for the drive, and won in 1:47.78. The win was the first graded stakes victory for Dicey Mo Chara, who had previously placed in three graded stakes. An English-bred gelding by Adaay, Dicey Mo Chara has won four of 17. For the San Gabriel win, Dicey Mo Chara earned a 96 Beyer Fgiure.
The fourth- through seventh-place finishers in the San Gabriel were Prince Abama, Bob and Jackie, Go On, and Rip City.
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