Johannes too good for his rivals in the San Gabriel (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. — Johannes punctuated a potential Eclipse Award-worthy season with a rallying victory under Umberto Rispoli in the Grade II, $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on turf Thursday on opening day at Santa Anita.
Johannes, who got a ground-saving trip while tracking the leaders, was swung wide for clear racing room entering the stretch and ran down both Mi Hermano Ramon (9-1) and Seal Team (6-1) to win by three-quarters of a length. It was Johannes’s fifth win in six starts this year. His only loss was a runner-up finish in last month’s Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar.
“With a horse like him, it’s not possible to panic, you know, you press the button and in three strides, you’re right up there,” Rispoli said. “You just have to manage how to get to the wire because once you get the lead, he try to wait for other horses. But, you never panic with him. Once you see the daylight, he goes. It doesn’t matter.”
Trained by Tim Yakteen, Johannes won in a final time of 1:46.50 following fractions of 23.49, 47.07, 1:11.14 and 1:34.91. He is now 7-for-7 lifetime at Santa Anita.
“In my heart, he is a true champion,” Yakteen said of Johannes’s Eclipse Award candidacy. “I hope others view it that way.”
A 4-year-old colt by Nyquist, Johannes is owned by Debby and Joe McCloskey’s CUYATHY LLC. His previous wins this year came in the GI Shoemaker Mile, GII City of Hope Mile and GIII American, all at Santa Anita, and the GII Eddie Read at Del Mar. Johannes’s overall record now stands at 13: 8-1-1 with $1,233,859 in earnings.
“The horse means everything to us,” Joe McCloskey said. “He’s our first foal from our broodmare Cuyathy, so it has been a heck of a ride.”
Johannes paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10. Mi Hermano Ramon, trained by Mark Glatt, paid $4.80 and $2.20. Mi Hermano Ramon was ridden by replacement jockey Luis Saez after scheduled rider Hector Berrios took off all his mounts Thursday. Seal Team, ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer Richard Mandella, paid $2.60.
According to the connections, Johannes will now target the Grade I, $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25.
GRADE II, $200,000 SAN GABRIEL STAKES
JOCKEY QUOTES
UMBERTO RISPOLI, JOHANNES, WINNER: “You know, with a horse like him, it’s not possible to panic, you know, you press the button and in three strides, you’re right up there. You just have to manage how to get the wire because once you get the lead, you try to wait for other horses. But, you know, you never panic with him. Once you see the daylight, he goes. It doesn’t matter.
“Obviously, it wasn’t the best scenario, but, you know, that’s horse racing, where you know absolutely nothing. He loves the track. He gives you everything. I love that he got the job done.”
TRAINER QUOTES
TIM YAKTEEN, JOHANNES, WINNER: “We originally thought about giving the horse a breather. He had such a strong campaign and he came out of the Breeders’ Cup so well. I talked to Joe and Debby (the owners) and we said we would play it by ear and maybe head to the San Gabriel. Everything was near perfect in his last outing, so we came to the San Gabriel and now we will head to the Pegasus. In my heart, he is a true champion. I hope others view it that way.”
OWNER QUOTES
JOE MCCLOSKEY, JOHANNES, WINNER: The horse means everything to us. He’s our first foal from our broodmare Cuyathy, so it has been a heck of a ride. Hopefully, if he comes out of this race in great shape we will be heading to Gulfstream Park for the Pegasus.”
DEBBY MCCLOSKEY, JOHANNES, WINNER: “He is a beauty, such a beautiful horse and we couldn’t be prouder.”
NOTES: The winning owner/breeders are Joe and Debby McCloskey’s Cuyathy LLC.
