ARCADIA, Calif. – Johannes has the ability to go quickly from follower to leader as evidenced by his attractive rally in the stretch of Thursday’s Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita.
Fifth on the turn, Johannes rallied three wide to catch stretch leader Mi Hermano Ramon with yards to spare and win the $202,000 race at 1 1/8 miles on turf by a measured three-quarters of a length.
“You press the button, and in three strides you’re there,” said winning jockey Umberto Rispoli.
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It took slightly longer than that, but there is no doubt what Johannes can do in the final quarter-mile. The San Gabriel Stakes was the 4-year-old colt’s fifth stakes win in six starts this year. The only loss was a second by three-quarters of a length in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 2.
With his consistent record, Johannes ($2.60) was expected to win the San Gabriel Stakes, which drew a field of nine.
Cabo Spirit (34-1) set a moderate pace of 23.49 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.07 for a half-mile, leading by as much as 1 1/2 lengths over the stalker Nineeleventurbo.
Rispoli had Johannes in third on the backstretch, racing on the inside. When 9-1 Mi Hermano Ramon and 6-1 Seal Team moved closer to the front on the turn, Rispoli opted to follow on Johannes, moving away from an inside position.
Johannes finished in 1:46.50 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 101.
Mi Hermano Ramon, the winner of the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar on Nov. 30, held second, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Seal Team.
Despite the loss, Mi Hermano Ramon gave a top-level effort from trainer Mark Glatt’s perspective.
“He couldn’t have run better,” Glatt said.
“That’s one of the top horses in the country,” Glatt said of Johannes. Mi Hermano Ramon “gave him a run for it.”
Easter finished fourth, followed by Dicey Mo Chara, Cabo Spirit, Astronomer, Nineeleventurbo, and Escape Artist.
Johannes, a 4-year-old by Nyquist, races for owners and breeders Joe and Debby McCloskey and trainer Tim Yakteen. Johannes has won 8 of 13 starts and earned $1,153,859.
The win on Thursday is expected to lead to an appearance in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25.
Earlier that week, Johannes has an excellent chance to be recognized as the champion turf male of 2024. The win in the San Gabriel Stakes is unlikely to sway voters, but a win in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile and victories in three other California stakes before the BC Mile have given Johannes an outstanding record this year.
“He was a hair short of being perfect,” Yakteen said. “I think there is a valid argument for him.”
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