ARCADIA — Johannes returned to a familiar winner’s circle Saturday with a solid victory in the City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita, the 5-year-old’s first of a frustrating season.
The 1¼-length repeat triumph in the $200,000, Grade II City of Hope with jockey Umberto Rispoli may not have been everything envisioned by owner Joe McCloskey, who said during the week that the goal with Johannes was “winning large.”
But it probably was just what the horse needed, a routine repeat of Johannes’ 2024 win in the City of Hope to set him up for an attempt to improve on last year’s second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
“As Tim (Yakteen, Johannes’ trainer) has explained to me, sometimes it’s better just to win, (so) you don’t take too much out of the horse,” McCloskey said.
Running his record to 8 for 8 on the Santa Anita turf and 9 for 15 overall, 5-year-old Johannes paid $2.40 as the heaviest favorite on a day of Grade I and Grade II stakes at Santa Anita. Cabo Spirit finished second, Almendares third in the field of six.
A slow early pace set by 36-1 Zio Jo and 11-1 Final Boss accounted for a final time,1:34.13, that was 1.68 seconds slower than Johannes’ clocking in last year’s City of Hope. Fifth early but never far from the leaders, Johannes engaged on the turn for home and exerted his class on the outside.
Johannes was California’s top turf horse in 2024, his only loss in six starts being the second to More Than Looks in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. But bone bruising in January interrupted this season, and a rough trip led to a ninth-place finish at Saratoga in his only 2025 start before Saturday.
Rispoli had to check off of Cabo Spirit’s heels on the far turn in the City of Hope, but otherwise had smoother sailing this time.
Going on to the Breeders’ Cup, Yakteen said, “There’s nobody out there that I want to trade with.”
‘PHOENIX’ IN FORM
Gold Phoenix will go into the Breeders’ Cup Turf on a hot streak this year after surging from last to first in the $200,000, Grade II John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita, giving Rispoli a stakes double Saturday and the 7-year-old a two-race winning streak.
The horse best known for winning the Del Mar Handicap four times had lost the John Henry in all three previous tries, which is probably why Del Mar runnerup Stay Hot went off as a slight favorite. Gold Phoenix and Stay Hot were side by side at the back of the seven-horse pack on the backstretch before Rispoli got a jump on Mike Smith.
The 1¼-length win over Stay Hot in the 1¼-mile turf race rewarded Gold Phoenix bettors with a $5 payoff.
The Irish-bred ran fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf to Auguste Rodin and Rebel’s Romance the past two years, and trainer Phil D’Amato sees hope for improvement.
“I’m hoping this (win streak) gives him a little extra confidence to run with the Euros,” D’Amato said.
A ‘RUNNER’ FOR AYUSO
Armando Ayuso found out he was riding Reef Runner in the $200,000, Grade II Eddie D Stakes only two hours before the downhill turf sprint, but his timing was perfect in the race as he rallied the 4-year-old gelding to a half-length win over Yellow Card.
Paco Lopez, aboard Florida-based Reef Runner in his Green Flash Handicap win at Del Mar, lost his mounts at Santa Anita Saturday after being suspended six months for whip-rule violations. Trainer David Fawkes named Antonio Fresu, only to have the stewards say Fresu couldn’t pick up a mount during his own four-day suspension. Enter Ayuso, a 31-year-old Panamanian who had never won above the Grade III level.
Ayuso and Lopez talked tactics on the phone.
“He said to be aggressive out of the gate and then hang behind horses,” said Ayuso, who did exactly that.
Reef Runner paid $13. Favorite First Peace finished seventh.
D’AMATO DOUBLES
Innovative and jockey Ricardo Gonzalez won the $100,000, Grade III John C. Harris Stakes, a hillside sprint for 3-year-old fillies, to make it two wins Saturday for D’Amato and owners Little Red Feather Racing and Sterling Stables, members of the Gold Phoenix partnership.
IN NEW YORK
At Aqueduct, Locked ($4.46) and jockey John Velazquez passed favored Phileas Fogg late to win the $300,000, Grade II Woodward Stakes, the 4-year-old’s first win since the Santa Anita Handicap in March.
The Woodward, traditionally New York’s top prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, was reduced to three horses as four were scratched to run elsewhere.
SUNDAY
Breeders’ Cup preps continue Sunday at Santa Anita with both stakes favorites coming off layoffs.
Straight No Chaser and jockey John Velazquez are 7-5 as the 6-year-old tries to repeat last year’s win in the $200,000, Grade II Santa Anita Sprint Championship and prep for a repeat in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He’ll be a shorter price if 3-1 Dr. Venkman and Umberto Rispoli are scratched after drawing the No. 1 post for the 6-furlong race.
Cavalieri and Juan Hernandez, also 7-5, try to run the 4-year-old filly’s record to 5 for 5 in the $200,000, Grade II Zenyatta Stakes. Richi and Antonio Fresu are 3-2 as Bob Baffert trains three of the five entrants.