Hunt upsets Heart to Heart in Santa Anita's Shoemaker Mile

While heavy favorite Heart to Heart chased Om in Monday's Grade 1, $400,000 Shoemaker Mile, Hunt waited, then pounced to return a winner of a six-month layoff. The Shoemaker win gave Hunt an automatic berth into the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Mile to be held at Churchill Downs Nov. 3.

Away from the races since his win in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap, Hunt was making only his second Grade 1 attempt following his 13th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He picked up two other stakes victories in the Del Mar Handicap and the Eddie Read Stakes, both Grade 2s.

“I think anywhere between a mile and a mile-and-a-quarter is his wheelhouse, and I’m lucky that I’ve got a great owner like Mike [House] that lets me do what I want,” said Hunt’s trainer, Phil D’Amato. “If I want to give him time off, he always lets me do right by the horses, and I think it showed today.”

Om got the advantage over front-running Heart to Heart and led the first half-mile in easy fractions of :23.22 and :46.66. Heart to Heart settled a few lengths back, ahead of Blackjackcat and Bowies Hero, while jockey Flavien Prat had Hunt in mid-pack. Arms Runner, Colonist and Next Shares rounded out the field.

Julien Leparoux moved on Heart to Heart as Om headed toward three-quarters in 1:10.20. As Heart to Heart rounded the turn as the horse to beat, Hunt and Prat flew down the outside to hook up with the favorite. Heart to Heart fought back as Hunt inched closer, the two bobbing heads for the lead.

As the wire neared, Hunt had more left to give and robbed Heart to Heart of winning three Grade 1s in a row. The favorite held for second over a late-running Next Shares. Hunt completed the mile in 1:34.07.

Hunt, an Irish-bred by Dark Angel, earned his ninth lifetime win in 27 starts. The 6-year-old gelding began his career in Ireland before starting in the Southern California circuit for House and d’Amato in 2015.

As for what’s next, D’Amato said, “We’re going to Del Mar for sure. The Eddie Read – we’ll defend our title and go from there.”