Johannes earned his first top-level victory when taking the Shoemaker Mile by a half-length under Umberto Rispoli. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Stable Notes By Victor Ryan
ARCADIA, Calif.—Both Johannes and Anisette are targeting stakes engagements at Del Mar following their Grade I triumphs Monday at Santa Anita.
Johannes, trained by Tim Yakteen, earned his first top-level victory when taking the Shoemaker Mile by a half-length under Umberto Rispoli. Yakteen said the 4-year-old Nyquist colt will target the GII Eddie Read at 1 1/8 miles on turf July 28 and/or the GII Del Mar Mile Aug. 31.
Johannes is a homebred for Joe and Debby McCloskey’s Cuyathy LLC.
“You’ll see him down at Del Mar,” Yakteen said Thursday morning. “The owners live down there and they love supporting the local track.”
Johannes’s only start beyond a mile came last May at Churchill Downs when fifth in the 1 1/16-mile GII American Turf on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Sent to the sidelines following that effort, he returned after nearly 11 months April 4 at Santa Anita and promptly won the GIII American at a mile on turf.
“We’ll kind of play it by ear where we go,” Yakteen said. “He’s never gone a mile-and-an-eighth. You never really know if they can be effective as they are at a mile until you try it.”
Johannes is now 9: 5-0-1 with $423,859 in earnings.
Anisette, also ridden by Rispoli for trainer Leonard Powell, collected her third GI win when taking the 1 1/8-mile Gamely Stakes by a half-length. It was her first start since a win the GI American Oaks at 1 ¼ miles on turf Dec. Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.
“I was very pleased, especially because there were a few things going against her,” Powell said. “It was her first start of the year and against some horses that had really good recent form. She also carried more weight than everyone else. She was able to overcome all those things. It takes a special horse to do that.”
Anisette’s other Grade I win came in last summer’s Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
The plan now for Powell is to find the best path to the Breeders’ Cup, which this year will be held at Del Mar Nov. 1-2. He said Anisette could start next in the GII Yellow Ribbon Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 10 or wait for the GII John C. Mabee at 1 1/8 miles Sept. 7.
Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Anisette is a 4-year-old filly by Awtaad. She made her first three starts in her native England before coming to the U.S. at the start of 2023. Her overall record is 10: 6-3-0 with $786,871 in earnings.
