FAVORITE JOHANNES ALL CLASS, SCORES COMFORTABLY IN GII, $200,000 CITY OF HOPE MILE PRESENTED BY MY RACEHORSE

Photo:Eclipse Sportswire

The Grade I winner, trained by Tim Yakteen and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, earned an automatic berth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile Nov. 2 at Del Mar

ARCADIA, CA (Sept. 28, 2024)—Johannes moved to a perfect 4-for-4 this year while also pocketing a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile with a victory in the GII, $200,000 City of Hope Mile presented by My Racehorse on California Crown Day Saturday at Santa Anita.

Johannes and jockey Umberto Rispoli tracked the leaders in mid-pack while racing along the rail, ranged up to pacesetter Conclude (12-1) at the top of stretch and pulled away to win by 1 ¼ lengths. Almendares (6-1), trained by Phil D’Amato, rallied for second by a nose over stablemate Conclude. Eastern shipper Trikari was another neck back in fourth to round out the superfecta.

“He’s a special horse,” Rispoli said.

Trained by Tim Yakteen, Johannes improved to 11: 7-0-1 with $693,859 in earnings for owner-breeder Joe and Debby McCloskey’s Cuyathy LLC. This was the sixth stakes victory for the 4-year-old colt by Nyquist. In three previous starts this year, he won the GII American at Santa Anita in April, GI Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita in May, and the GII Eddie Read at Del Mar in July.

“I’m thrilled with the effort,” Yakteen said. “That’s seven out of eight since we went to the turf. Umberto (Rispoli) has done a great job. This was a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Breeder’s Cup and if everything is fine with Johannes, that is where we are headed.”

Conclude set fractions of 23.04, 46.30 and 1:09.61 for six furlongs. Johannes reached the seven-furlong marker in 1:20.94 and finished in 1:32.45.

For the popular win, Johannes paid $3.60, $2.40 and $2.20. Almendares, ridden by Flavien Prat, returned $4.80 and $3.40. Conclude paid $5.20.