Beyond Brilliant Must Be Caught in City of Hope

With multiple grade 1 stakes winner Count Again  currently out of action, Southern California is without its top turf miler.

Hong Kong Harry  staked his claim to take over leadership with an authoritative victory in the Sept. 3 Del Mar Mile (G2T), and on Oct. 1, it's C R K Stable's Beyond Brilliant 's chance.

Leading a field of six in the $200,000 City of Hope Mile (G2T) at Santa Anita Park, grade 1 winner Beyond Brilliant has a ripe opportunity in the one-mile turf affair. Hong Kong Karry is not in the lineup, though the race does have the 2-3-5 finishers from a fast-paced Del Mar Mile in Irideo , Cathkin Peak , and Tarantino .

The City of Hope Mile seems a race that the speedy Beyond Brilliant can control from the break, a front-running style he has utilized for all four of his victories from 13 starts. His top achievements include wins in the 2021 Hollywood Derby (G1T) at Del Mar, and the Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) earlier this year.

He was a pace casualty in his last start in the July 31 Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar, yielding to sixth as the favorite after setting pressured fractions of :46.28 and 1:10.04 in the 1 1/8-mile turf race. Following that race, trainer John Shirreffs freshened him, bypassing the Del Mar Mile and other turf options late in the summer at Del Mar.

A 4-year-old colt by Twirling Candy  , Beyond Brilliant will be ridden for the fourth consecutive time by Victor Espinoza.

If Beyond Brilliant receives any early pressure Saturday, it could come from Tarantino, who adds blinkers for owner Steve Moger and trainer Ed Moger Jr. The 4-year-old Pioneerof the Nile  colt was second in the Zuma Beach Stakes as a 2-year-old at Santa Anita when campaigned by different owners and trained by Bob Baffert.

Cathkin Peak, a 4-year-old gelding by Alhebayeb  trained by Phil D'Amato, has finished in front of Beyond Brilliant in two of three matchups—though he did not win the races in which he twice ran ahead of him. The CYBT, Sterling Stables, and Michael Nentwig-owned runner was second in the Twilight Derby (G2T) last fall at Santa Anita when Beyond Brilliant was third, and Cathkin Peak ran third in the Eddie Read when Beyond Brilliant was sixth.

Beyond Brilliant defeated third-place Cathkin Peak in the Hollywood Derby last November; Umberto Rispoli has the mount from the rail.

Pozo de Luna's Irideo  has outperformed the public's expectations this summer with a trio of consecutive on-the-board finishes at large mutuel prices. He looms a threat for trainer Marcelo Polanco and jockey Hector Berrios.

Class-rising Prince Abama  and stretching-out Kanderel  complete the field. The latter races with blinkers off.

Entries: City of Hope Mile S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, October 01, 2022, Race 5

• Grade IIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 2:38 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Cathkin Peak (IRE)	Umberto Rispoli	122	Philip D'Amato	5/2
2	2Irideo (ARG)	Hector Isaac Berrios	122	Marcelo Polanco	5/2
3	3Beyond Brilliant (KY)	Victor Espinoza	126	John A. Shirreffs	6/5
4	4Tarantino (KY)	Abel Cedillo	122	Ed Moger, Jr.	15/1
5	5Prince Abama (IRE)	Juan J. Hernandez	122	Philip D'Amato	6/1
6	6Kanderel (KY)	Ramon A. Vazquez	122	Richard E. Mandella	12/1