Johannes heads into the Sept. 27 City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Santa Anita Park with only one race in 2025, as opposed to three in 2024. But the talented son of Nyquist is still a good bet to repeat in the City of Hope en route to the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), in which he finished second last year.
Nearly unstoppable in 2024, Johannes won three consecutive graded stakes prior to a 1 1/4-length victory in the City of Hope. Following his three-quarter-length second to More Than Looks in the Breeders' Cup Mile, Johannes returned to capture the Dec. 26 San Gabriel Stakes (G2T), but came out of the race with mild bone bruising.
Trainer Tim Yakteen gave Johannes plenty of time to recuperate, including a couple of months' R&R on a Kentucky farm. Yakteen didn't unveil Johannes as a 5-year-old in 2025 until the Aug. 2 Fourstardave Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course. Unfortunately, Johannes had a terrible trip, beginning with being bumped at the start, and he finished unplaced.
Now Johannes is back at his Santa Anita home base, and he is the even-money morning-line favorite in the City of Hope. Umberto Rispoli, who has ridden him in every race since late 2022, returns in the saddle.
The City of Hope Mile has had several name changes over the years, but since 2013, it has been named for the world-renowned cancer treatment and research center just a few miles from Santa Anita in Duarte, Calif. The race is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event, granting the winner an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile. Silic, War Chant, and Val Royal won both races from 1999-2001. Singletary ran third in what was then the Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile in 2004, won that year's Breeders' Cup Mile, and returned to add the Oak Tree Mile in 2005.
Five have been entered against Johannes, with Almendares, Final Boss, and Cabo Spirit having perhaps the best chances of defeating the likely heavy favorite.
Almendares, the second choice on the morning line at 3-1, won the July 19 Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar and finished second to Formidable Man in the Aug. 30 Del Mar Mile Stakes (G2T). Phil D'Amato, who dominates turf racing in California, trains the 5-year-old gelded son of Havana Grey.
John Sadler trains Final Boss, listed on the morning line at 4-1. Sixth in the 1 3/8-mile Del Mar Handicap (G2T), Final Boss, a 4-year-old colt by American Pharoah , finished fourth in the Wickerr and won the 2024 Cinema Stakes.
Cabo Spirit, a 6-year-old gelded son of Pioneerof the Nile trained by George Papaprodromou, finished third in the Del Mar Mile. He also ran second to Formidable Man in the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T). Cabo Spirit won this year's American Stakes (G3T) at a mile and the 2024 California Crown John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) at 1 1/4 miles.
Zio Jo, trained by Doug O'Neill, and Scoobie Quando, trained by Michael McCarthy, round out the field.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, September 27, 2025, Race 4Entries: City of Hope Mile S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Zio Jo (KY) Mirco Demuro 122 Doug F. O'Neill 10/1 2 2Scoobie Quando (KY) Kazushi Kimura 122 Michael W. McCarthy 20/1 3 3Johannes (KY) Umberto Rispoli 124 Tim Yakteen 1/1 4 4Final Boss (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 122 John W. Sadler 4/1 5 5Almendares (GB) Antonio Fresu 122 Philip D'Amato 3/1 6 6Cabo Spirit (KY) Mike E. Smith 124 George Papaprodromou 9/2
