JOHANNES RETURNS FROM 11-MONTH LAYOFF AND SCORES IN THE GIII, $100,000 AMERICAN STAKES AT A MILE ON TURF THURSDAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (April 4, 2024)—Off more than 11 months, 4-year-old colt Johannes returned with a vengeance to win Thursday’s GIII, $100,000 American Stakes at a mile on turf Thursday at Santa Anita.

With Umberto Rispoli in the irons, Johannes rated well off a hot pace of 21.85, 44.98 and 1:08.57 for six furlongs set by Air Force Red (10-1) and Edwin Maldonado. Johannes steadily cut into the lead on the second turn, surged past Air Force Red near the eighth pole and kicked clear to score by 1 ¾ lengths over War At Sea (12-1).

Trained by Tim Yakteen for owner and breeder Cuyathy LLC,, Johannes was bet down to the 6-5 favorite from a 4-1 morning line. He won in a sharp 1:32.08, which was more than two seconds faster than the time GIII Wilshire winner Nadette posted (1:34.16) one race earlier.

“I think it was an incredible effort off an 11-month layoff,” Rispoli said. “He is such a nice horse.”

Runner-up War At Sea, trained by Ron Ellis with Mike Smith up, finished a half-length clear of third-place finisher Sumter, who was ridden by Tiago Pereira for trainer Richard Mandella. Air Force Red held on to round out the superfecta for trainer Leonard Powell.

The disappointment in the race was Gold Phoenix (5-2), who was making his first start since a fourth-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Turf here Nov. 4. Gold Phoenix and Juan Hernandez raced in last throughout before passing only a tired Genius Jimmy, who had attended the sharp pace, to finish ninth.

This was Johannes’s first start since last May when he finished fifth in the GII American Turf on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. Prior to shipping to Kentucky last year, the Nyquist colt won both the Baffle Stakes on the hillside turf course and the Pasadena Stakes, both at Santa Anita.

Johannes is now 4-0-1 in eight starts with $243,859 in earnings. He returned $4.60, $3.60 and $2.60. War At Sea paid $7.80 and $6.00 and Sumter returned $5.00 to show.

Live racing resumes Friday at Santa Anita with a nine-race card starting at 1 p.m.