Pickup mount aboard Kimari reverses Hill's recent fortunes

It’s been a slow meet at Oaklawn Park for jockey Channing Hill, with top mounts such as multiple Arkansas-bred stakes winner Hoonani Road losing a step and stakes-placed sprinter Manny Wah winless in two starts. Both horses are trained by Hill’s father-in-law, Wayne Catalano.

But Hill scored a riding double last Saturday, highlighted by a 1 3/4-length triumph aboard multiple grass stakes winner Kimari in the $100,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters. The Purple Martin was unexpected considering Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith was originally scheduled to ride Kimari for trainer Wesley Ward.

“It was nice,” Hill said moments after riding Kimari for the first time. “I’m glad Mike didn’t get on the plane.”

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez rode Kimari in four of five starts last year, including a 15-length career debut victory over males at Keeneland, a victory in the Bolton Landing Stakes Aug. 14 at Saratoga and a fourth-place finish against males in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) Nov. 1 at Santa Anita. Smith was aboard Kimari for her half-length victory in the Indian Summer Stakes Oct. 6 at Keeneland.

“I didn’t know anything about her, except for watching her run last year and seeing how impressive she was,” Hill said. “When I watched the Breeders’ Cup race again, just in preparation to ride her today, it really struck me how good she actually ran. Obviously, that race at Keeneland was freaky, that first race against the boys. It was really impressive.”

Hill said he learned Saturday morning that he would ride Kimari in the Purple Martin.

“I had a lot people help me got on this horse, so I appreciate it very much,” Hill said.

Ward said he was comfortable tapping Hill, adding “he’s a really good rider.” Hill also rode Hail to the Chief for Ward in Saturday’s eighth race, and Kimari represented their third career victory together, according to Equibase.

“He’s helped me a lot in the past, in the mornings, and ridden some winners for me as well,” Ward said. “Really, really good, solid kid, so I was real confident about him. But his father-in-law, Wayne Catalano, is a great friend of mine. When the father-in-law heard Mike wasn’t coming in, he was the first one on the phone, before any other agent. I called him earlier in the day and I said, ‘Look, win, lose or draw, I tell you what, you’ve got a career when you retire from training because you would be a hell of a jockey’s agent.’ ”

The Purple Martin represented Hill’s 125th career Oaklawn victory and 15th stakes score. Two of the stakes victories have been aboard Hoonani Road.

Kimari was Ward’s seventh career Oaklawn starter and first winner. Ward said following Kimari’s first career dirt stakes victory that her year-end objective is to face males in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November at Keeneland. Kimari is based at Keeneland.