Count Again Rallies to Take Kilroe Mile
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Count Again comes flying to take the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Winning the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T) brings trainer Phil D'Amato special satisfaction.
"(The Kilroe) was probably one of my favorite races growing up," he said.
So when D'Amato won the $503,000 turf stakes for the second time it was a happy moment enlivened by the sight of a certain 7-year-old gelding in the winner's circle after the March 5 stakes at Santa Anita Park.
D'Amato had won grade 2 and 3 stakes before with Count Again and was a fast-closing third with him in last year's Kilroe, so having the mile stakes serve as the son of Awesome Again 's initial grade 1 win only sweetened the moment.
"I had pretty decent luck winning this race," said D'Amato, who won the 2018 Kilroe with Bowies Hero , "but with (Count Again) being a 7-year-old and one of those horses who has been knocking on the door for a grade 1 stakes, to get it done today means a lot."
Owned by Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm, Count Again was bred in Ontario by Sam-Son and posted his sixth win in 15 career starts with a second and four thirds.
"He's one of those dream horses," D'Amato said. "If you've got dead aim with him at the top of the lane, he's going to give you his late kick pretty much every time. He's just a fresh, happy horse and (jockey Flavien Prat) fits him very well."
Prat may have been the difference Saturday as he skillfully guided the gelding from 10th in the field of 11 to a late-charging head victory in 1:33.24 on firm turf.
The 2-1 favorite, Count Again ($6.60) received the fast pace D'Amato wanted when Beyond Brilliant led through a :45.45 opening half-mile. The problem was that the half brother to grade 1 winner Ransom the Moon was mired along the rail with numerous horses in front of him.
"I definitely loved the fractions," D'Amato said. "I was hoping he could get loose to come with his run. He likes to come with that big, wide, late run and we were stuck in there but that's why this guy (Prat) is the top jockey in the country in my opinion. He angled out and got the job done on the wire."
Prat found the opening he needed to move outside at the three-sixteenths pole and then closed widest and fastest in the center of the track.
Beyond Brilliant, Space Traveller , and Subconscious were strung across the track at the eighth pole, but Prat and Count Again collared them in the final yards and reached the wire first.
Count Again, who has earned $763,665, won the Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) in his previous start. He is a son of the Red Ransom mare Count to Three who has produced 10 foals, including a 2-year-old Malibu Moon filly.
Clipper Logistics' Space Traveller, a son of Bated Breath who was third in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Baccarat (G1T), lacked some room on the final turn and was second for trainer Brendan Walsh, a head in front LNJ Foxwoods' Subconscious, a Tapit gelding trained by Richard Mandella. Second in the Thunder Road, Subconscious also had some traffic issues in the large field, steadying early.
Beyond Brilliant held on for fourth, three-quarters of a length behind Subconscious.
Video: Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. (G1T)
Leggs Galore Speeds to Buena Vista Score
Opening up by as much as eight lengths at one point, trainer William Sims homebred California-bred Leggs Galore prevailed by a half length in Saturday's $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes (G2T). The speedy 5-year-old mare Bayern was ridden for trainer Phil D'Amato by Ricky Gonzalez and got one mile on firm turf in 1:34.29.
Leggs Galore wins the Buena Vista Stakes
In total control throughout while posting fractions of :23.18, :46.70, 1:10.29 and 1:22.25, Leggs Galore had a five length edge at the top of the lane and although she was shortening stride late, held off a big finish from 2-1 favorite Going to Vegas , who was ridden by Flavien Prat.
"That was a pretty ambitious move," D'Amato said of opening up on the field so extensively. "I was holding my breath there. I was just waiting for the wire to be there. We got it done.
"She took another step up. This was a solid open company field. She's a double threat now with Cal-Breds and open company. We'll see where we go from here."
Fresh off a big 2 1/4-length score going 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf in the Jan. 15 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf, Leggs Galore was off as the second choice at 2-1 and paid $6.80 on a $2 win ticket.
Procuring her first graded stakes win, Leggs Galore, who is out of Sims' Indian Charlie mare Cashing Tickets, notched her fifth career stakes win and improved her enviable overall mark to eight wins and a second from 13 starts. She increased her earnings to $560,208.
Idle since well beaten Nov. 6 in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) going a 1 3/8 miles at Del Mar, grade 1 winner Going to Vegas ran huge in defeat, finishing with her ears pinned while three quarters of a length clear of Closing Remarks , who put in a solid late bid to round out the trifecta.