Southern Image's win is the biggest for trainer

The least experienced horse in the field delivered for Michael Machowsky.
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) -- Southern Image, the least experienced horse in the field of 12 3-year-olds, beat fellow long shot Marino Marini by a head Friday to win the $250,000 Malibu Stakes on the opening card of Santa Anita's winter meeting.
Southern Image was making his fourth start in the Grade I race and he covered 7 furlongs in 1:22.65.
Midas Eyes, the 11-10 co-favorite, was another length back in third.
Southern Image, whose career twice has been stalled by injuries to his right hind leg, fulfilled the potential which trainer Michael Machowsky felt the dark brown colt had all along.
Biggest win as trainer
"It seems like it was a blessing in disguise that he had all that time off," Machowsky said after recording his biggest victory in 13 years as a trainer. "He's filled out and bulked up and hasn't been through the grind."
Ridden by Victor Espinoza, the winner paid $29.40, $13 and $5.60. Marino Marini, who was ridden by Tyler Baze and led to the stretch, returned $26 and $9. Midas Eyes paid $2.80 to show.
Eye of the Tiger was fourth, followed by Watchem Smokey, who was coupled in the betting with Midas Eyes, Domestic Dispute, Posse, Blazonry, Buddy Gil, Special Rate, Toccet and Zavata.
Buddy Gil, winner of the 2003 Santa Anita Derby, made his first start since he finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby on May 3.
Winnings
Southern Image, a Florida-bred son of Halo's Image, earned $150,000 and has banked $231,600 with three victories and a third.
In Southern Image's only previous stakes appearance, the colt was third in the San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita in February.
"We thought he might be a Kentucky Derby-type horse then," Machowsky said. "We didn't think he'd do much at 2, so we ran him only once last year. Now it looks like he's ending his 3-year-old season the way we hoped he'd be earlier."
Don'tsellmeshort won Friday's co-featured $125,000 California Breeders' Champion Stakes by 11/2 lengths.
Ridden for the first time by Alex Solis, the gray 2-year-old son of Benchmark won for the fourth time in eight starts. It was his third stakes victory.
Don'tsellmeshort ran 7 furlongs in 1:25.09 and paid $28.80, $11.80 and $6.20. The colt earned $75,000 to increase his career total to $294,395.
Badgett's Mandate was second and paid $20.60 and $9.80, while Watch Over Me was another 4 lengths back in third in the field of 10 and paid $4.60 to show.