In a thrilling edition of the GII Del Mar Mile last month at the seaside oval, the top four finishers were all separated by a mere half-length on the wire. On Saturday, that quartet plus a pair of new shooters will look to put on a similar show at Santa Anita Park when they clash in the Grade II City of Hope Mile. The winner of the City of Hope earns a fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
In the Del Mar Mile, ultimately prevailing by a head under Umberto Rispoli was King of Gosford, a 5-year-old Zoustar horse bred in England and trained by Phil D'Amato. It was the second straight stakes win for King of Gosford and pushed him over $1 million in career earnings.
Second best that day was Detain, a 4-year-old Irish-bred colt by Wootton Bassett trained by Michael McCarthy for owner-breeder Juddmonte. Detain finished a neck in front of third-place finisher El Potente with another neck back to pacesetter Cabo Spirit in fourth.
"It was a dogfight late and (King of Gosford) loves to fight," D'Amato said of is charge, who is the 8-5 morning line favorite in the City of Hope Mile. "I think that kind of played right into his hand. We got a horse with some momentum having won a pair of stakes down there. Hopefully he can carry it on to Santa Anita."
Runner-up Detain raced in mid-pack in the Del Mar Mile before launching a rally under Juan Hernandez that came up agonizingly short. Detain is listed at 8-1 on the morning line for the City of Hope.
"I thought it was good effort," McCarthy said. "Looking for a little bit of a carbon-copy with the same kind of stalking trip. This time we get a little more real estate with the longer stretch at Santa Anita. Hopefully that works in his favor."
Bettors made El Potente 5-2 favorite in the Del Mar Mile, despite being marooned on the far outside in post 11 at the start. With jockey Hector Berrios aboard, El Potente stalked pacesetter Cabo Spirit in second and then just missed on the wire.
"I think the post position hurt us," trainer Dan Blacker said. "We were drawn way outside and Hector had to use him a little bit to get into position into the first turn. I think that cost us being beaten only a neck. I think with a better draw it could have been a different result.
"But he ran a great race like he always does. I was proud of him. He has a massive heart this horse. If you look at his record, he seems to run his best at Santa Anita. So now he's back at his home track and I really feel he's ready."
In the City of Hope Mile, El Potente will break from post 2 just inside of likely pacesetter Cabo Spirit. El Potente, a 7-year-old gelding by Temple City, is the 9-5 second choice on the morning line and Cabo Spirit is 6-1.
"I would have preferred to be outside of Cabo Spirit, but it's good to be inside," Blacker said. "I think Hector does a great job with this horse and gets on with him so well. He should make the right decision in terms of if he wants the lead or to sit just off of it."
The two new shooters in the City of Hope Mile are Teao (6-1), a Group I-winning import from Chile making his stakes debut for trainer John Sadler; and Irish Aces (6-1), a 6-year-old gelding who ships in for trainer Brendan Walsh after hitting the board in a pair of Group II stakes at Woodbine in his two most recent starts.
The City of Hope Mile goes as the third race Saturday and is the first of five stakes on a 10-race program. Post time is set for 2:06 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Teao, Paco Lopez (6-1); El Potente, Hector Berrios (9-5); Cabo Spirit, Mike Smith (6-1); Detain, Juan Hernandez (8-1); Irish Aces, Joel Rosario (6-1); King of Gosford, Umberto Rispoli (8-5).
Mr. A.P. Back On Dirt For First Time Since 2025 Juvenile
Since placing in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile at 20-1 odds, Mr. A.P. in three starts has raced exclusively on turf. On Saturday, Mr. A.P. returns to what trainer Vladimir Cerin believes is his preferred surface in the Grade I Goodwood Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on the main track. The Goodwood is a "Win and You're In" for the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
By Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Mr. A.P. this summer at Del Mar was third in the Oceanside Stakes off an 8 ½-month layoff in July then came back a month later to win a first-level allowance on the lawn. Subsequently shipped to Kentucky Downs for the lucrative Gun Runner Stakes at one mile on Sept. 7, Mr. A.P was never a factor finishing ninth in a 14-horse field.
"I wasn't really sure he was a grass horse," Cerin said. "He sure didn't take to that course. But he came back and worked really well here. I wish we had a little more time to assess but we don't."
On Sunday at Santa Anita, 13 days after his effort at Kentucky Downs, Mr. A.P. whistled five furlongs in 58.4 seconds.
"I wanted to make sure he was ready to run," Cerin said of the quick work.
Hall of Famer Joel Rosario has ridden Mr. A.P. in all three starts this year and again has the call in the Goodwood. Owned by Holly and David Wilson, Mr. A.P. is 8-1 on the morning line in a field of nine.
In last year's Goodwood, Nevada Beach prevailed as a 3-year-old and returns this seeking a title defense. The son of Omaha Beach is the 7-5 program favorite. Trained by Bob Baffert, Nevada Beach hasn't started since Feb. 14 when finishing 12th after a poor start in the GI Saudi Cup in Riyadh.
Nevada Beach and Mr. A.P's rivals include four horses who ship in from out-of-state seeking a Grade I win and berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Saffie Joseph Jr. sends out both Forged Steel and Caldera, who are co-second choices at 5-1 on the morning line. Forged Steel, a 4-year-old Vekoma colt, won the GII Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 ¼ miles here in May. Caldera, a 4-year-old colt by Liam's Map, enters off three straight allowance wins coming at Gulfstream Park and Colonial Downs.
Returning west for trainer Brendan Walsh is Original Sin, a 4-year-old colt by Curlin who most recently finished second in the GI Pacific Classic at 1 ¼ miles at Del Mar on Aug. 22. He is 6-1 on the morning line. Completing the raiding party is McAfee for trainer George Weaver. A 4-year-old colt by Cloud Computing, McAfee most recently romped by 6 ½ lengths in a 1 1/8-mile allowance at Churchill Downs on July 3. McAfee is 15-1 on the morning line.
The Goodwood goes as the eighth race Saturday with post time set for 4:40 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Taif, Emisael Jaramillo (8-1); Vodka Vodka, Kent Desormeaux (15-1); McAfee, Hector Berrios (15-1); Original Sin, Kazushi Kimura (6-1); Midnight Mammoth, Tyler Baze (30-1); Mr. A.P., Joel Rosario (8-1); Forged Steel, Edwin Gonzalez (5-1); Caldera, Paco Lopez (5-1); Nevada Beach, Juan Hernandez (7-5).
Clash Expected in John Henry
In last month's GII Del Mar Handicap going 1 3/8 miles at Del Mar, Richard Mandella-trained Atitlan finished just a neck back of winner Test Score in second with Atomic Age, trained by Phil D'Amato, another half-length back in third. Finishing just one length back in fifth was Mondego for trainer Michael McCarthy.
In Saturday's Grade II John Henry Turf Championship, Atitlan, Atomic Age and Mondego all return going 1 ¼ miles at Santa Anita.
Atitlan, a 5-year-old horse by The Factor, rallied from last of 11 under Umberto Rispoli to just miss in the Del Mar Handicap. It was his second start following a 10 ½-month layoff.
"He ran a great race. A winning race," Mandella said of Atitlan. "We just hope he gets back to that level. He sure seems like it."
Atitlan, owned by John M.B. O'Connor, made all of his first 12 starts prior to the layoff for trainer John Shirreffs. After Shirreffs died in February at the age of 80, Atitlan was transferred to Mandella's care. Mandella said it's the first horse he's trained for O'Connor, a longtime owner.
"They called me after John passed and asked if I'd help out," Mandella said.
Atitlan is installed as the even-money favorite on the John Henry morning line.
Mandella also sends out in the John Henry longshot Sinsel, who Mandella believes has a puncher's chance. Imported from Brazil, where he was a Group I winner, Sinsel made his U.S. debut and first start in a year in the GII Del Mar Mile. On Aug. 22. The race chart notes Sinsel pulled and was rank off the layoff on his way to a 10th-place finish.
"We expect improvement with the added distance and being his second time back," Mandella said. "We knew the mile was a bit too short for him, but we wanted to get a race in into him. I didn't think it was too bad. We have reason to think he's going to run a pretty good race on Saturday."
Atomic Age in the Del Mar Handicap rallied from mid-pack under Kazushi Kimura to finish three-quarters of a length back at 24-1. It was the stakes debut for the 4-year-old son of Justify who was also making his second start as a gelding, both coming at Del Mar.
"He's a horse that's improving," D'Amato said. "He went into Del Mar as a first-time gelding and I think it helped him with the allowance win and subsequently the stakes. I think he's a horse with some upside. He probably needs to improve a length or two, but I think he's got it in him."
Atomic Age, who'll be ridden again by Kazushi Kimura, is the 7-2 third choice on the morning line.
Mondego is installed as the second choice at 3-1. in the Del Mar Handicap the 6-year-old English-bred gelding by Lope de Vega rallied to the lead in mid-stretch but then was overtaken to finish one length back of the winner. McCarthy called it "a decent effort.
"The shorter stretch at Del Mar didn't really agree with him. But he ran well both times down there," McCarthy said. "It seems like he's enjoying being back at Santa Anita. The heat down at Del Mar was a little hard on him. It seems like he has a bit more life to him, a little more bounce in his step."
The John Henry Turf Championship goes as the seventh race on a 10-race card Saturday. Post time is set for 4:10 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Mondego, Juan Hernandez (3-1); Sinsel, Hector Berrios (15-1); Atomic Age, Kazushi Kimura (7-2); Balladeer, Julien Leparoux (20-1); Nitti, Victor Espinoza (10-1); Flashiest, Armando Ayuso (20-1); Atitlan, Umberto Rispoli (1-1); Twirling Point, Ricky Gonzalez (15-1).
