A close second to pacesetter Lambeau to the far turn, Neptune's Storm drew alongside mid-way around the far turn, and with three-sixteenths of a mile to run, there was little doubt he'd deliver the mail, although Prat stayed busy late to keep him focused as he kept runner-up Order and Law at bay close to home.

“We had a good trip,” said Prat, who along with Miller registered his second win on the day. “He was traveling well and when I asked him turning for home, he kicked on well. When he went by that horse (Lambeau), he messed around a bit. He's an old man, he knows what he's doing.”

Most recently ninth against much tougher competition going a mile and one quarter on turf in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Classic here on Oct. 2, Neptune's Storm was off at 1-2 in a field of six 3-year-olds and up and paid $3.00, $2.60, and $2.20.

“I think Flavien did a great job getting him out in the clear,” said Miller. “When Edwin (Maldonado, aboard Lambeau) slowed it down…, I thought well, we have no excuses. He tried to pull himself up a little bit the last eighth of a mile, but Flavien stayed busy enough and we got it done.”

Owned by CYBT, Saul Gervitz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig, and Daniel Weiner, Neptune's Storm also relished a return to a flat mile as he registered his sixth win from 12 tries at the distance. With the winner's share of $44,880, Neptune's Storm, a two-time graded stakes winner, increased his earnings to $981,865.

Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Order and Law rallied from off the pace to make it close late as he finished three-quarters of a length in front of Lambeau. Off at 10-1, he paid $6.20 and $4.00.

Lambeau finished a length clear of second choice Majestic Eagle and paid $5.00 to show while off at 12-1.

Fractions on the race were :23.12, :47.66, 1:12.17, and 1:23.80.

Prat would go to notch his third win of the day in the eighth race aboard the Richard Baltas-trained Barbwire and appeared poised to get his fourth win of the afternoon aboard early favorite Urban in the ninth and final race.

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m.

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The bay gelding is coming off an eventful ninth-place finish in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at a mile and a quarter, the longest route ever attempted in his 23 career starts.

“A mile is a better distance for him,” said trainer Peter Miller, alluding to the tractable campaigner's record of five wins, one second, and one third over that venue.

Leading rider Flavien Prat, who won the restricted Wickerr Stakes on Neptune's Storm at a mile on Del Mar's turf course July 18, will be back aboard.

“He's a nice horse that tries hard,” said Miller, who has had Neptune's Storm for his last four races, the gelding having previously been trained by Richard Baltas and earlier Bill Morey.

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Dating back to his win in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes in July of 2020, United has settled into an eight-race pattern in which he's won every other start. With a close fourth place finish in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 21 coming on the heels of a neck victory in the Eddie Read on July 24, Mandella is hoping the win-lose-win pattern holds on Saturday.

Ridden by Flavien Prat in all but two of his 18 starts with Mandella, United will again be partnered with French-born superstar in the John Henry as he readies for a third try in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar Nov. 6.

In an old school move, Mandella had United blow out three furlongs this morning in a bullet 36.40. Owned by LNJ Foxwoods, United is a 6-year-old gelding by Giant's Causeway. With five wins from 11 starts over the Santa Anita lawn, including a head defeat in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Turf, United is 21-9-4-1 overall with earnings of $1,693,549.

In what will be his fourth start for Peter Miller, Neptune's Storm comes off a close fourth place finish in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile and although he's in good form, he'll be trying a mile and one quarter for the first time. Second, beaten a half length as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade III American Stakes at one mile on turf three races back on June 20, this 5-year-old Stormy Atlantic gelding took the one mile turf restricted Wickerr in gate to wire fashion two starts back on July 18.

Owned by CYBT, Saul Gervertz, Lynn Goetz, Michael Nentwig and David Weiner, Neptune's Storm is a two-time graded stakes winner with earnings of $936,485 from an overall mark of 22-7-4-6.

In his first start for trainer Michael McCarthy, Chilean-bred Master Piece rallied from far off the pace to finish second, beaten a half length in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf and would benefit greatly from some fast early fractions on Saturday.

Front-running California-bred Acclimate tired late to finish a close third in the Del Mar Handicap, his lone start since winning the marathon Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at a mile and three quarters on turf here June 19. Trained by Phil D'Amato, this 7-year-old gelding by Acclamation, who was a close second in the 2019 John Henry, appears at the top of his game and could pose an elusive target with Ricky Gonzalez back aboard.

THE GRADE 2 JOHN HENRY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 11 of 11 Approximate post time 5:30 p.m. PT

1. Award Winner—Kyle Frey—126
2. Camino Del Paraiso—Abel Cedillo—124
3. Neptune's Storm—Florent Geroux—124
4. United—Flavien Prat—126
5. Ready Soul—John Velazquez–122
6. Acclimate—Ricky Gonzalez—124
7. Master Piece—Drayden Van Dyke—122
8. Count of Amazonia—Victor Espinoza—122
9. Media Blitz—Juan Hernandez—122
10. Red King—Joe Bravo—122
11. Cupid's Claws—Mike Smith—122
12. Friar's Road—Umberto Rispoli—122
13. K P All Systems Go—Tyler Baze–122

The John Henry is one of five stakes on Saturday's 11-race card with post time at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Off of a ten-month layoff, Mo Forza ducked in at the start of the G2 stakes, cutting off Count Again to take up position behind leader Nepture's Storm, Smooth Like Strait, and Hit the Road. On the front end, Nepture's Storm ran the first quarter of a mile in :23.69 and then slowed the pace down, the half-mile timed at :48.52. Mo Forza lingered toward the back of the short field, seven lengths off Neptune's Storm through the backstretch. On the turn, jockey Flavien Prat asked his horse to go, taking him to the outside for their closing run.

Into the stretch, Smooth Like Strait moved past Nepture's Storm, taking a short lead in the last eighth, but both Hit the Road and Mo Forza were on the move. Mo Forza closed fastest, passing Smooth LIke Strait in the last yards, hitting the wire a head in front of Smooth Like Strait. Hit the Road was third with Nepture's Storm and Count Again rounding out the field.

The final time for the G2 Del Mar Mile was 1:35.03. Find this race's chart here.

Mo Forza paid $4.20, $2.60, and $2.10. Smooth Like Strait paid $2.60 and $2.20. Hit the Road paid $2.60.

“He did it last year and he did it again this year, so all the credit goes to the trainer.  He broke well and then relaxed nicely for me.  He really responded when I asked him to run and we were in a sprint from the eighth mile pole home.  I knew we got up,” Prat said after the race.

“I was worried if I had him fit enough, I really was,” trainer Peter Miller said after the Del Mar Mile. “But he's a champion and he's got that heart of a champion. I'm just glad I had him fit enough. Just enough.”

Bred in Kentucky by Bardy Farm, Mo Forza is by Coolmore stallion Uncle Mo out of the Unusual Heat mare Inflamed. Trained by Peter Miller, the 5-year-old is owned by Bardy Farm and OG Boss. With this win, Mo Forza has a lifetime record of seven wins in 13 starts for career earnings of $914,460.

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Hall of Fame conditioner Neil Drysdale, who is winless in 36 starts at the current meet, has a big shot to get off the schneid with Majestic Eagle, who won the 2019 American and will be ridden on Sunday by Mario Gutierrez.

With two wins from his first seven starts when trained by William Morey, Neptune's Storm blossomed in the care of Baltas, winning his first start for him, the ungraded Singletary Stakes at one mile on turf, on April 28, 2019. A winner of the Grade 2 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park eight starts back on Oct. 5, 2019, Neptune's Storm notched his second graded stakes win three races back by taking the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on June 14, 2020.

Subsequently third, beaten one length by classy United in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes July 26, Neptune's Storm went to the sidelines following a fourth place finish in an ungraded one mile turf stakes Sept. 7, 2020 at Kentucky Downs.

A 5-year-old gelding by Stormy Atlantic, Neptune's Storm has a pressing style that has enabled him to avoid trouble and has resulted in a total of 10 finishes in which he has run first, second or third dating back to his win in the 2019 Singletary.

Owned by John Rochfort, Saul Gevertz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig and Daniel Weiner, Neptune's Storm is 19-6-3-6 and is the leading money earner in the field with $848,085.

Second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths in his first start of the year, the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on turf May 29, Majestic Eagle, who had been idle since Nov. 28, should improve with the race under his belt and a return to a route of ground. A game neck winner of the 2019 American, Majestic Eagle, a 6-year-old gelding by Medaglia d'Oro, is 11-1-4-1 at one mile on turf.

Owned by Rave Green Racing, Majestic Eagle brings an overall mark of 28-3-7-3 and earnings of $340,541.

THE GRADE 3  AMERICAN STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 11 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Tiz Plus—Trevor McCarthy—122
2. Restrainedvengence—Tyler Baze—124
3. Neptune's Storm—Flavien Prat—122
4. Border Town—Mike Smith—122
5. Majestic Eagle—Mario Gutierrez—122
6. Sash—Juan Hernandez—122

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Trained by Richard Baltas and ridden by William Antongeorgi III, Neptune's Storm covered one mile on firm turf in 1:35.50, winning by a head and earning $150,000 from the San Francisco Mile's $251,350 purse. He paid $8 to win.

Kiwi's Dream, who similarly was caught in the final strides to lose by a head to Restrainedvengence in the May 25 All American on the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate, was 1 ¾ lengths clear of Camino Del Paraiso in second, with Restrainedvengence, the 8-5 favorite, finishing fourth. Arch Prince, Majestic Eagle, Simply Breathless and Murad Khan completed the order of finish in the race for 3-year-olds and up. All starters carried 125 pounds except for Simply Breathless, the lone mare in the field, who carried 120 under the weight for age conditions.

Neptune's Storm tracked Kiwi's Dream in second from the outset, the latter going right to the front under Golden Gate's leading rider, Juan Hernandez, and setting moderate fractions of :23.97, 48:11, and 1:11.91. Antongeorgi moved Neptune's Storm alongside the frontrunner at the top of the stretch, the seven furlongs clocked in 1:23.88, but Kiwi's Dream proved a tough foe to overtake, giving away grudgingly in the final yards for locally-based trainer Victor Trujillo.

A 4-year-old gelding by Stormy Atlantic out of the Irish-bred mare Immortal Life, by Iffraaj, Neptune's Storm was winning for the sixth time in 16 career starts. His only previous graded stakes victory came Oct. 19 at Belmont Park in the G2 Hill Prince. Neptune's Storm was a close second Nov. 30 in the G1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar and he comes out of a seventh-place finish to Raging Bull in the G1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita May 25.

Neptune's Storm was bred in Kentucky by Tracy Farmer and races for CYBT, Saul Gevertz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig and Daniel Weiner.

Live racing of the 2019-2020 Winter/Spring meet at Golden Gate concluded on Sunday with mandatory payouts in the Pick 5's, Rolling Super High Five and Golden Pick Six jackpot wagers. Racing resumes at Golden Gate Fields on July 29 with the “Sonoma County Fair Meet at Golden Gate Fields” which runs through August 11. The Golden Gate Fields Summer meet immediately follows with live racing from August 12 through October 6.

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