Santa Anita stakes Spot Plays for 2019 Beholder Mile Day

Four graded stakes races will be contested at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, with a pair of Grade 1 tilts among them. I have a few horses of interest to me in the marquee events. RACE 5: FRANK E. KILROE MILE (G1) A compact but excellent field of six will go in the grassy event. River Boyne (#6) (5-2) is six-for-seven on the Santa Anita turf, with his lone setback coming on a good course last out. The Jeff Mullins trainee has tactical speed in a race with no pace, and he figures to get a perfect trip under Rafael Bejarano. RACE 6: SAN CARLOS STAKES (G2) St. Joe Bay (#4) (5-1) missed by a head in the 2018 edition of this race at huge odds and is worth a long look once again. The John Sadler trainee comes in fresh for a solid layoff barn, and he looks like the one to catch early on in a field without an abundance of early foot. Victor Espinoza gets the nod atop the seven-year-old. RACE 7: SANTA ANA STAKES (G3) Fillies and mares will travel 10 furlongs on the grass course in this affair. Zaffinah (#7) (4-1) ran what I thought was a strong third in the Megahertz Stakes (G3) behind Vasilika most recently. The Jack Carava trainee has a versatile running style, and I think she will endure the 1 1/4-mile trip from off the pace against a questionable cast. RACE 9: BEHOLDER MILE (G1) An ultra-talented group of fillies and mares will contest the co-feature in a challenging handicapping assignment. I could have gone a few ways in the affair but for value I will give Mopotism (#7) (6-1) top billing. Trained by Doug O’Neill, the Uncle Mo mare has run some sneaky good races at the top level, and two of her main rivals in this spot are question marks at two turns. The five-year-old bay should get a robust pace in which to rally. PHOTO: River Boyne and jockey Flavien Prat win the Mathis Brothers Mile (G2) on December 26, 2018, at Santa Anita Park © BENOIT PHOTO