D'Amato Represented by Midnight Storm in Kilroe Mile
If trainer Phil D’Amato wins the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf Saturday, it will be with Midnight Storm and not the speedy Obviously.
“The horse is fine,” D’Amato said of Obviously, a committed front runner who missed by a neck as the 9-10 favorite in the Grade II Arcadia Stakes Feb. 13.
“But I like to space his races and give him only five or six a year to keep him fresh. I will be running Midnight Storm, however.”
A son of Pioneerof the Nile, Midnight Storm captured the Grade II Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Del Mar’s turf course Nov. 27 under Victor Espinoza, who retains the mount for the Kilroe.
Probable for the Kilroe: Bal a Bali, Flavien Prat; Bolo, Mike Smith; De Treville, no rider; Kenjisstorm, Edwin Maldonado; Ocho Ocho Ocho, no rider; Om, Gary Stevens; and What a View, Kent Desormeaux.
LIKE FATHER LIKE DAUGHTER IN SAN CARLOS?
Karen Headley will try to emulate her father, Bruce, when she sends out San Onofre inSaturday’s Grade II San Carlos Stakes for older horses at seven furlongs.
Bruce, who was 82 on Feb. 14, won the San Carlos five times, with Surf Cat (2008 and 2006), champion Kona Gold (2001), Son Of a Pistol (2000), and Softshoe Sure Shot (1995).
Karen will attempt to win with San Onofre, a 6-year-old California-bred son of Surf Cat owned by Karen’s mother and Bruce’s wife, Aase, who campaigns as Matson Racing.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, meanwhile, will seek to win the San Carlos for the third consecutive year, either with Wild Dude or Outside Nashville. He won with Wild Dude last year and Sahara Sky in 2014 and 2013.
Probable for the San Carlos: Calculator, Flavien Prat; Kobe’s Back, Gary Stevens; Mystery Train, no rider; Outside Nashville, Martin Garcia; Salutos Amigos, Mike Smith; San Onofre, no rider; and Wild Dude, Rafael Bejarano.
Trainer Phil D’Amato said Clockers’ Corner winner Coastline could start in either the San Carlos or the Kilroe.
FINISH LINES: Santa Anita’s main track was sealed after Saturday’s last race, and an inch and one-fifth of rain had hit as of 7:30 Sunday morning, according to Track Superintendent Dennis Moore, but by 8 o’clock the sun was out in all its glory, reproducing the picturesque setting with the San Gabriel Mountains as its backdrop familiar to fans worldwide . . .Happy birthday to Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. A native of Caldwell, Idaho, Stevens puts up number 53 today…The $75,000 Aboretum Stakes scheduled to be run today at about 6 ½ furlongs on turf, was not drawn when rain was forecast for this weekend. The race for older fillies and mares will be run Friday, March 18, as Arboretum II. All original nominations will automatically be honored, but new nominations also will be accepted . . . Santa Anita is dark Monday through Wednesday. Racing resumes Thursday at 1 p.m. with free Grandstand admission and free general parking . . . First post time on Big ’Cap Day, this Saturday, is at 12 noon. On-track fans will receive a free (with paid admission) Santa Anita Fleece Blanket presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino . . . On Saturday, March 19, Santa Anita presents the biggest Michelada Contest in Southern California, featuring live horse racing, live music, a car exhibition and an art show in its spacious Infield. For further information, visitwww.micheladarumble.com . . . Through 42 racing days, favorites at Santa Anita were winning at a 36.94 percent clip, 133 out of 360. The average on dirt was higher, 39.47 (105 of 266), but lower on turf, 29.79 (28 of 94) . . . Talk about living on the rail: Johns Journey, a five-year-old gelding trained by Paul Aguirre that was scratched from today’s second race, had the No. one post position in nine of his last 12 races, the last three in a row and six times in his last seven races, never winning from the one hole in any of them. He had drawn post position five today.
Source: Santa Anita Park