Santa Anita undercard wrap: Johannes wins BC Mile bid
Taking the same path to the Breeders’ Cup as he did last year, odds-on favorite Johannes duplicated his 2024 effort Saturday when he repeated his victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile on the firm turf at Santa Anita.
The win gave the Nyquist entire an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar, where he finished a close second last year to More Than Looks.
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Ridden by Umberto Rispoli for owner Cuyathy and trainer Tim Yakteen, 5-year-old Johannes (1-5) took cover in the two path and rated in the middle of the six-horse field. Zio Jo (36-1) set the early pace in the two-turn race through a quarter-mile in 22.70 and a half-mile in 47.47 seconds.
Cabo Spirit (8-1), who had been stalking in third, made the first run through the second turn. He led through three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.60. By that point, Johannes had made up about half his 3 1/4-length deficit.
Johannes circled wide and was within a half-length of Cabo Spirit through a mile in 1:22.94. He took the lead at the sixteenth pole and ran on to a 1 1/4-length triumph with a winning time of 1:32.65. He paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10 across the board.
Cabo Spirit placed second and returned $3.20 and $2.80. Almendares (6-1) closed form last to finish third and pay $2.10 to show. Zio Jo, Scoobie Quando (41-1) and Final Boss (11-1) were fourth through sixth in that order.
The winner of the San Gabriel (G2) on Dec. 26, Johannes went to the bench for seven months only to return in a ninth-place finish Aug. 2 in the Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga.
Gold Phoenix rallies to take John Henry
Gold Phoenix worked his way forward from the back of the seven-horse pack to take the lead inside the final furlong on his way to a 1 1/4-length victory in the 1 1/4-mile, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship (G2).
The narrow second choice in the win pool, Gold Phoenix (3-2) bided his time under Rispoli while Balladeer (17-1) set the pace through fractions of 23.47, 46.60, 1:10.93 and 1:35.42 through the first two turns.
Gold Phoenix still was sixth when the field move into the homestretch, but using his typical, deep-closing style, he picked off his rivals moving down the middle of the firm course on his way to his 10th win in 28 starts. He paid $5.00, $2.60 and $2.20 across the board.
Stay Hot (3-2), the post-time favorite, finished second and paid $2.60 and $2.20. Spycatcher (13-1) wound up third and returned $4.20.
Trained by Phil D’Amato, 7-year-old Gold Phoenix is an Ireland-bred Belardo gelding owned by Agave Racing Stable, Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify.
Deep-closing Reef Runner wins Eddie D
Closing from the rear of the seven-horse field, 4-year-old Reef Runner took the lead with only 25 yards to spare in winning the $200,000 Eddie D (G2) for 3-year-olds and up traveling about 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course.
It was the third time in a row the gelding by The Big Beast crossed the finish line first. He was disqualified, however, and placed second in the Green Flash Handicap (G3) on Aug. 30 at Del Mar.
Owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong and trained by David Fawkes, Reef Runner (5-1) bided his time under jockey Antonio Fresu before taking aim on early pacesetter Mucho Del Oro (25-1). The early fractions were 21.74 and 44.03 seconds.
When Mucho Del Oro faded inside the eighth pole, Yellow Card (6-1) made the first move into the lead through three-quarters of a mile in 1:05.75. Reef Runner came charging just to his outside, caught him and ran on to a half-length win that paid $13.00, $5.00 and $3.20. The winning time was 1:11.65
Yellow Card took second and returned $6.00 and $3.80. Sorrento Sky (5-1) rallied from mid-pack to finish third. Mucho Del Oro came home fourth.
27-1 Innovative gets upset win in Harris
Innovative made a late run down the outside to catch Lee’s Baby Girl two jumps from the wire and score an upset victory in the $100,000 John C. Harris (G3) for 3-year-old fillies racing about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf.
Lee’s Baby Girl (25-1) led the field of 12 through a quarter-mile in 22.23 and a half-mile in 44.37 seconds. The favorite Casalu (1-1) to the outside and Schilflied (45-1) on the inside loomed at the top of the stretch.
Innovative (12-1) and Lee’s B (25-1) carried more momentum in the final furlong, and they would be in the finish-line photo at the end with a neck between them. After three-quarters of a mile in 1:06.77, the winning time was 1:12.98.
Innovative paid $27.40, $11.80 and $5.60; Lee’s Baby Girl $18.20 and $6.00; and third-place Warming (9-2) $4.20. The $1 exacta returned $183.20, the $1 trifecta $1,176.10 and the 10-cent superfecta $737.32.
Owned by Little Red Feather Racing and Sterling Stables, trained by Phil D’Amato and ridden by Ricardo González, Innovative is a Complexity filly who had maiden and allowance wins among her six previous starts, all this year. This was her first stakes race.