Mondego gets G2 victory for McMcarthy, Benoit Photo
Santa Anita Park Press
ARCADIA, CA —After being limited to minor award in four consecutive graded stakes, Mondego earned a breakthrough victory for trainer Michael McCarthy Saturday in the Grade III, $100,000 San Marcos Stakes for older going 1 and 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita.
With Emisael Jaramillo aboard for the first time, Mondego enjoyed an ideal trip stalking the pace while saving ground on the rail. Mondego was swung out for the stretch drive and grinded his way to the front to prevail by one length over 45-1 longshot Flashiest. Truly Quality (9-2) finished another head back in third and was followed by Stay Hot (5-2).
Grade I winner Gold Phoenix, the even-money favorite, never got untracked in the late going and finished second-to-last in his 8-year-old debut.
Mondego won in a time of 2:00.06 following fractions of 24.10, 48.11, 1:12.90 and 1:36.45.
“(McCarthy) told me to try and sit in the third or fourth position and wait for the stretch,” Jaramillo said.
McCarthy has won the last three stakes run at Santa Anita. On Sunday, McCarthy won both the Las Virgenes Sakes with Meaning and the Clockers’ Corner with Yellow Card, who also had Jaramillo aboard.
“I thought Emisael rode him wonderfully today,” McCarthy said. “He worked him this week and I thought the horse worked great.”
A 6-year-old gelding by Lope de Vega, Mondego was bred in England and is owned by Cheyenne Stable. He spent his first two years based in the east with trainer Christophe Clement. In 2024, Mondego most notably finished third in the GI Belmont Derby before being sent west to McCarthy. In his previous start, the GIII San Gabriel going 1 1/8 miles on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita, Mondego rallied to be third under Flavien Prat. Prior to that effort, he finished behind winner Truly Quality in the GII Hollywood Turf Cup and behind winner Gold Phoenix in both the GII Del Mar Handicap and GII John Henry Turf Championship.
“A little bit of credit gets due to Flavien. He told us a little bit about the horse the other day, and we used it to our benefit today,” McCarthy said. “I kind of kept looking for Gold Phoenix and Truly Quality. We were able to wheel out at the top of the lane there and proved best today.”
Mondego paid $21.20, $9.00 and $5.40. Flashiest, ridden by Armando Ayuso for trainer Leonard Powell, returned $25.60 and $12.40. Truly Quality, with Mike Smith up for trainer Jonathan Thomas, paid $4.00.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Santa Anita with a nine-race card starting at 12:30 p.m.
GRADE III, SAN MARCOS STAKES QUOTES
JOCKEY QUOTES
EMISAEL JARAMILLO, MONDEGO, WINNER: “The trainer told me to try to sit in third or fourth position and wait for the stretch.”
TRAINER QUOTES
MICHAEL MCCARTHY, MONDEGO, WINNER: “I thought Emisael rode him wonderfully today. He worked him this week and I thought the horse worked great. A little bit of credit gets due to Flavien (Prat). He told us a little bit about the horse the other day, and we used it to our benefit today. I kind of kept looking for Gold Phoenix (finished seventh) and Truly Quality (finished third). We were able to wheel out at the top of the lane there and proved best today.”
NOTES: The winning owner is Cheyenne Stable, LLC.
