C R K Stable's Beyond Brilliant, freshened since a disappointing effort on July 31, heads Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile, to be contested over the Santa Anita turf.
Nominated to both the G2 John Henry Turf Championship at a mile and one quarter on turf and the City of Hope Mile, trainer John Shirreffs has opted to run C R K Stable's Beyond Brilliant in the Mile, which will be his first start since running a disappointing sixth as the 8-5 favorite in the Grade II Eddie Read Stakes July 31.
In his only start at one mile on turf, Beyond Brilliant showed the way but tired late while finishing fourth, beaten one length in the G1 Frank E. Kilroe three starts back on March 5 at Santa Anita.
A gate to wire winner going 1 ¼ miles on turf in the G2 Charles Whittingham two starts back here on April 30, Beyond Brilliant took the G1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar in similar fashion five starts back at Del Mar. Nov. 27.
A 4-year-old colt by Twirling Candy out of the First Defence mare Summer On the Lawn, Beyond Brilliant will be ridden for the fourth consecutive time by Victor Espinoza.
With turf ace Umberto Rispoli back aboard, Phil D'Amato's Irish-bred Cathkin Peak, most recently third on grass in the G2 Del Mar Mile Sept. 3, looms a major threat as he seeks his first graded stakes victory. Owned by CYBT Sterling Stables, LLC and Michael Nentwig, Cathkin Peak has two wins and as many seconds from four tries over the local turf and is 2-1-1 from four starts at one mile on grass.
If a hot pace does develop, trainer Marcelo Polanco's late running Argentine-bred Irideo will hope to be along in time under newly arrived Hector Berrios. A 31-1 winner going one mile on turf in the restricted Wickerr on July 24, Irideo rallied from far back to finish second, beaten 2 ¼ lengths by Hong Kong Harry in the G2 Del Mar Mile Sept. 3.
A 6-year-old gelding by the Storm Cat stallion Easing Along, Irideo is owned by his breeder, Pozo de Luna, Inc.
THE GRADE 2 CITY OF HOPE MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 5 of 10 – Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT
First post time for an 10-race card, which includes five other stakes on Saturday, is at 12:30 p.m.
The post Beyond Brilliant Will Try To Rebound In City Of Hope Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
A close fourth in last year's running, Phil D'Amato's classy English-bred gelding Gregorian Chant heads a field of nine 3-year-olds and up going about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes.
A fast finishing second in his most recent start going one mile on turf in the restricted Wickerr Stakes July 24 at Del Mar, Gregorian Chant has five wins from 11 starts down Santa Anita's unique hillside layout, including victory in the G3 San Simeon Stakes nine starts back on March 13, 2021.
A fresh horse at age six, Gregorian Chant has a pair of bullet works for his return over Santa Anita's inner training track, a 46.80 half mile on Sept. 19, which was best of 40 at the distance and a sizzling five furlongs in :58.60 on Sept. 25.
Owned by Old Bones Racing, LLC, Slam Dunk Racing and Michael Nentwig, Gregorian Chant will be ridden back by Umberto Rispoli.
D'Amato will also send out Irish-bred Coulthard, who is part of a wide-open cast that could contend for the minors. On the improve, Coulthard rallied for an impressive half length win two starts back in a five furlong second condition turf allowance July 30.
Dismissed at 24-1 in the G3 Green Flash Handicap at five eighths on turf Sept. 4, he battled gamely to be third, beaten 1 ¼ lengths and will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Ramon Vazquez. Owned by Jay and Julie Manoogian, Coulthard is a 4-year-old gelding who is winless in four previous tries down the hill.
The Eddie D is named in honor of one of racing's all-time greats, retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye.
THE GRADE 2, $200,000 EDDIE D STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 7 of 10 – Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT.
First post time on Saturday for a 10-race card that includes five other stakes, is at 12:30 p.m.
The post Classy Gregorian Chant Leads Field Of Nine Down The Hill In Eddie D Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Phil D'Amato's Gold Phoenix bids for his second consecutive graded stakes win as he heads Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita. A 4-year-old Irish-bred gelding fresh off victory going 1 3/8 miles on turf in the G2 Del Mar Handicap Sept. 3, Gold Phoenix is the 126 pound high weight and he will be ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez.
Named for the legendary Hall of Fame gelding who was the recipient of the love and admiration of the racing world as a champion on both turf and dirt at Santa Anita, the John Henry has attracted a field of six 3-year-olds and up.
Versatile in terms of pace, Gold Phoenix, a first-out maiden winner going seven furlongs on synthetic in Ireland on Feb. 21, 2021, has enjoyed an outstanding year with D'Amato. Dating back to his U.S. debut on Jan. 17, Gold Phoenix is 7-2-3-2 this year, which includes a close third going a mile and one quarter on turf in the G2 Charles Whittingham Stakes four starts back on April 30.
Ridden by eastern-based Flavien Prat in the Del Mar Handicap, Gold Phoenix was next to last in a field of 11 early, rallied six-deep turning for home and was up to win by a head in a thriller.
Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, LLC and Marsha Naify, Gold Phoenix has a win, three seconds and one third place finish from five tries over the Santa Anita turf.
Third, beaten a half length by Gold Phoenix in the Del Mar Handicap, trainer Leonard Powell's Dicey Mo Chara, who was ridden by eastern-based John Velazquez, will be handled for the first time by Ryan Curatolo. Graded stakes placed, Dicey Mo Chara, a 4-year-old English-bred gelding owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, is in search of his first stakes win.
Fifth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths in the Del Mar Handicap, D'Amato's classy Masteroffoxhounds will be reunited with Umberto Rispoli, who last rode him to a close third place finish over the course nine starts back in the G3 San Luis Rey Stakes on March 20, 2021.
A 5-year-old horse by War Front, Masteroffoxhounds, who is owned by Rockingham Ranch, is winless in five starts this year with two seconds and a third place finish.
History will be revisited following the John Henry on Saturday, as the winning trophy will be presented by John's Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally, who guided the son of Ole Bob Bowers through two Horse of the Year campaigns at ages four and nine, seven overall Eclipse Awards, two Santa Anita Handicap Victories in 1981 and 82 and who smiled all the way to the bank upon John Henry's retirement at age nine in 1984 as racing's all-time leading money earner with more than $6.5 million.
THE JOHN HENRY TURF CHAMPIONSHIP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 3 of 10 – Approximate post time 1:30 p.m. PT
First post time for a 10-race card that will include five other stakes on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m.
The post Versatile Gold Phoenix Tops Field Of Six For John Henry Turf Championship appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
