San Luis Rey Preview: In Short Field, United Stands Tall

ARCADIA, CA – LNJ Foxwoods’ United‘s back class stands tall amidst a short field entered for Saturday’s $100,000 San Luis Rey Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.

The San Luis Rey is a 1 1/2-mile turf marathon open to all horses ages 4 and up. This year’s edition is the seventh event on a 9-race card and has a local post time of 4:07 PM.

Here’s a look at the full field for the San Luis Rey:

1. Acclimate 4/1 – The first of two from the Phil D’Amato barn makes his fourth straight start after missing 12 months of action and has his connections hoping that he continues his trend of improving his finishing position with each race. Fourth in last November’s Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2) at Del Mar, he was then third in the Turf Classic Stakes and most recently second in the San Marcos Stakes (G2).

2. Masteroffoxhounds 5/2 – Though bred in Kentucky, he made his first 6 starts in Ireland (winning once) before returning stateside for his continental debut last November. A non-factoring seventh going 1 3/16 miles that day, he won his next 2 tries: a 1 3/8-mile allowance at Del Mar and the local San Marcos, a 1 1/4-mile test, and will team up with globally-renowned rider Umberto Rispoli for the first time.

3. United 6/5 – The 4-time Grade 2 winner makes his seasonal debut after a rare off-the-board finish (eighth) in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Keeneland against several of the world’s best grass horses. He was second by a head in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Turf, held on this same lawn over which the Richard Mandella trainee has a 9-4-2-1 record. This is his first career start in a Grade 3.

See the day’s full plays from Ricky’s Rockets!

4. Say the Word 5/2 – The second D’Amato runner finished third in the Hollywood Turf Cup while making his barn debut but didn’t fare nearly as well in January’s Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), where he finished 11th going 1 3/16 miles. The considerable class drop and the added distance should help him give an improved effort; he won the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1) going this far at Woodbine.

5. Multiplier 20/1 – His connections take a big swing with this recent $50k claim acquisition, stretching him out and placing him back on turf after he finished fourth going 1 1/16 miles on the local dirt against optional claimers last month. His lone grass win in 15 tries came going 1 1/8 miles over this course against optional claimers in May 2018.