Catapult leads wide open edition of Santa Anita's Shoemaker Mile

Monday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Shoemaker Mile has the look of a wide-open affair as Catapult, Delta Prince, Ohio and Sharp Samurai all appear to have big chances in a field of nine 3-year-olds and up on the Santa Anita turf.  

Named for the legendary jockey, Bill Shoemaker, who was Santa Anita’s leading rider a record 17 consecutive years, from 1951 through 1967, the race is Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Race, enabling the victor an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Saturday, Nov. 2.  

CATAPULT

Owner: Woodford Racing, LLC                                               

Trainer: John Sadler  

By any accounting, an unlucky nose loser of the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) on March 30, this 6-year-old horse by Kitten’s Joy will get a rematch with Ohio, but also appears to be facing tougher overall competition. “Catapult is doing great,” Sadler said Friday. “He’s ready to go and hopefully he can win the photo this time.” A winner of both the Eddie Read (G2) and Del Mar Mile Handicap (G2) this past summer, Catapult was then second, beaten a half length, in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs three starts back on Nov. 3. With an overall mark of 18: 6-5-1 and earnings of $1,528,359, he’ll be making his seventh start for Sadler on Monday and will be ridden back by Drayden Van Dyke.  

DELTA PRINCE

Trainer: James Jerkens  

Although he’s successfully demonstrated he can lay close to the pace if need be, Delta Prince, at age 6, seems better suited these days to the role of deep closer, a tactic he employed in winning the Makers Mark Mile (G1) over a “good” turf at Keeneland by 1 ½ lengths on April 12. A Stronach homebred son of Street Cry out of the Machiavellian mare Delta Princess, Delta Prince, who will be ridden by Joel Rosario, is 13: 5-3-4 overall with earnings of $1,173,819.  

OHIO

Owner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Bruce Treitman                

Trainer: Michael McCarthy  

Better than ever at age 8, this Brazilian-bred gelding pressed the pace and just lasted by a nose in a desperate finish over Catapult in the Kilroe Mile, his first Grade 1 victory.  Claimed for $50,000 seven starts back on June 10, 2018, Ohio has won two out of his last three starts and three out of six for McCarthy. A winner of five out of his 13 assignments at one mile on turf, Ohio will be ridden for the fourth time in a row by Ruben Fuentes and can be expected to ensure a legitimate early pace. With an overall mark of 26: 9-4-2, Ohio has earnings of $488,065.  

SHARP SAMURAI

Trainer: Mark Glatt  

A fresh shooter, Sharp Samurai has been idle since a nose winner of the City of Hope Mile (G2) on Oct. 6. A four-time graded stakes winner on grass, this 5-year-old First Samurai gelding boasts the best Shoemaker last-out Beyer Speed figure, as he registered a 104 in winning last year. Ridden regularly by now-retired Gary Stevens, he’ll be handled for the first time on Monday by Hall of Famer John Velazquez. With a ton of class in his corner, look for Sharp Samurai to be attentive to pace as he tried to improve upon an overall mark of 14: 8-2-0 and earnings of $735,270.  

THE SHOEMAKER MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS  

Race 9 of 10; approximate post time 5 p.m. PT  

1. Ohio—Ruben Fuentes—125

2. Sharp Samurai—John Velazquez—123

3. Le Ken—Tiago Pereira—121

4. River Boyne—Flavien Prat—123

5. Catapult—Drayden Van Dyke—121

6. Bolo—Florent Geroux—121

7. Desert Stone—Geovanni Franco—121

8. Delta Prince—Joel Rosario—125

9. Bowies Hero—Irad Ortiz, Jr.—121