Horseplayers will have no shortage of viable options to consider when it comes to Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita. Led by a four-horse continent for trainer Phil D'Amato, every entrant in the nine-horse field is a stakes winner with eight of those scoring at the graded level.
D'Amato's quartet is comprised of Irish-bred Hong Kong Harry and Irish-bred Gold Phoenix, both of whom return from layoffs for their seasonal bows; Irish-bred Balnikhov, who most recently was second by a nose as the favorite in the G2 Mathis Mile on Dec. 26; and Masteroffoxhounds, who was second by a neck most recently in the G3 San Marcos going 1 ¼ miles on Feb. 5.
Hong Kong Harry has been sidelined since winning the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar on Nov. 26. The 6-year-old Irish-bred gelding won five of six starts last year after his arrival from Europe including the G2 Del Mar Mile and G3 American going a mile at Santa Anita.
Hong Kong Harry is owned by Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa and Tony Valazza. Flavien Prat, who was aboard for three wins last year, has the call on Saturday.
Gold Phoenix will be making his first start since a 10th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Turf going a mile-and-a-half at Keeneland on Nov. 5. D'Amato noted Sunday that Gold Phoenix “was doing fantastic” for his comeback but added this race is designed primarily to serve as a prep for the G2 Charles Whittingham at 1 ¼ miles on April 8.
Owned by Little Red Feather, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify, Gold Phoenix will be ridden for the first time by Kazushi Kimura.
Multiple horses in the Kilroe are exiting a thrilling edition of the G3 Thunder Road on Feb. 4 including runner-up Du Jour and third-place finisher Air Force Red.
Du Jour returned from more than 14 months on the sidelines in the one-mile Thunder Road and was beaten just a nose when uncorking a furious rally under Umberto Rispoli. Trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Natalie Baffert and Debbie Lanni, Du Jour in 2021 was a graded stakes winner and also Grade 1-placed.
Jockey Frankie Dettori will ride Du Jour for the first time on Saturday.
Air Force Red was up near the pace in the Thunder Road before getting edged by a neck for the top prize. Prior to that effort the 5-year-old Air Force Blue ridgling won the G2 Joe Hernandez on the downhill turf course here Dec. 31.
Air Force Red is trained by Leonard Powell and owned in partnership by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Holly Golightly. Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez, who was aboard in both the Joe Hernandez and Thunder Road, again has the mount on Saturday.
THE GRADE 1 FRANK E. KILROE MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 11 of 12 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT
- Gold Phoenix—Kazushi Kimura—122
- Cabo Spirit—Joe Bravo—122
- Masteroffoxhounds—John Velazquez–122
- Air Force Red—Juan Hernandez—120
- Balnikhov—Umberto Rispoli—122
- Hong Kong Harry—Flavien Prat–122
- Du Jour—Lanfranco Dettori—120
- Irideo—Hector Berrios—120
- Royal Ship—Mike Smith–122
Special early first post time for a 12-race card on Saturday that will also include the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes and the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes is at 12 noon with admission gates opening at 10 a.m.
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