Johannes get this game back on in the American. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Office
ARCADIA, Calif.—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.
“It was just getting the right trip and just knowing that he’s back facing all of this for the first time, you just don’t know. We had high hopes for him last year and we were able to take care of him
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.
“The two horses in front of me had good gate speed Genius Jimmy and Air Force Red. I knew they wanted to be forwardly placed but today, I wanted to be sure that we bounced out of the gate and got in a good position. I understood that we went fast the first part of the race that’s why I took my gap, I wouldn’t be surprised if that speed went straight to the wire,” said Rispoli.
“My horse just responded really well, and I knew he was loaded, and I took my time. I thought about staying in the inside for a second, but I said, ‘You know what? Let’s play it safe.’ And once I took him out, I think it was an incredible effort after 11 months off of a layoff. He is such a nice horse. I can’t thank the owner and trainer for the support. He’s a good horse so let’s see where we go next.
“I have a lot of faith in this horse. I knew I gave him a bad ride at Churchill and that was weighing on me. By owning that you learned from your mistakes. Sometimes the race doesn’t come up in the way you want, and I knew the potential in this horse, and I know how good he can be.”
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.
