United Could Stand Tallest in This Year's John Henry

After finishing third last year, United will look to secure a victory in this year's edition of the $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) Sept. 26 at Santa Anita Park.

LNJ Foxwoods' United missed by just 1 3/4 lengths in the 2019 John Henry, a 1 1/4-mile test test for 3-year-olds and older. That defeat, by United's standards, counts as a blowout loss. Since that race, the son of Giant's Causeway has won half of his six starts with the other half of those efforts being runner-up finishes by a head, neck, and head—all in graded stakes beginning with his narrow loss to eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).

In his most recent effort, United had a three-race win streak snapped when he was edged by Red King in the Del Mar Handicap Presented by the Japan Racing Association (G2T) Aug. 22. Before that, United registered victories in a trio of grade 2 races in Southern California: the Eddie Read (G2T) at Del Mar, and Santa Anita's Charles Whittingham (G2T) and San Marcos (G2T) stakes.

Racing Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said 5-year-old gelding United will just need some racing luck to reach the wire first in this year's John Henry.

"He's doing really well," said Mandella, who has won this race six times, including twice with The Tin Man. "We just hope for better luck this time."

Seven other horses have been entered in Saturday's test, including grade 1 winner Next Shares, who is trained by Richard Baltas. A 7-year-old Archarcharch gelding, Next Shares will be looking for his first win of the season. While that victory has been elusive in five 2020 starts, Next Shares did earn a pair of grade 1 placings this season when third in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T) and second in the Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T).

Jockey Luis Saez is scheduled to ride Next Shares for the first time.

Baltas also will send out grade 2 winner Oscar Dominguez, who will start from the outside post. Like his stablemate, the son of Zoffany also is in search of his first victory of the season. He enters off a fifth-place finish in the Del Mar Handicap.

Video: Del Mar H. Presented by The Japan Racing Association (G2T)

Two other runners from the Del Mar Handicap are entered: BG Stables' Originaire, who finished third—just a half-length behind the winner; and Benowitz Family Trust, Madaket Stables, and Mark Mathiesen's Proud Pedro, who finished fourth—another half-length behind Originaire. 

Entries: John Henry Turf Championship S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, September 26, 2020, Race 9

• Grade II
• 1 1/4m
• Downhill turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:43 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Proud Pedro (FR)	Juan J. Hernandez	122	Leonard Powell	8/1
2	2Originaire (IRE)	Abel Cedillo	122	Jeff Mullins	7/2
3	3United (KY)	Flavien Prat	126	Richard E. Mandella	6/5
4	4Another Mystery (IL)	Drayden Van Dyke	122	Michael W. McCarthy	20/1
5	5Salvator Mundi (KY)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	122	Philip D'Amato	6/1
6	6Kazan (IRE)	Tiago Josue Pereira	122	Javier Jose Sierra	30/1
7	7Next Shares (KY)	Luis Saez	124	Richard Baltas	9/2
8	8Oscar Dominguez (IRE)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	124	Richard Baltas	8/1