Beyond Brilliant Relaxes to Win City of Hope Mile
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Beyond Brilliant gallops home in the City of Hope Mile Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Relaxation techniques can work as well for horses as they can for humans. In the case of Beyond Brilliant , relaxation equaled victory in the Oct. 1 City of Hope Mile (G2T) at Santa Anita Park.
Beyond Brilliant likes to run on the front end, and in his previous start, the July 31 Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar, his duel with Masteroffoxhounds cost them both. John Shirreffs decided on the City of Hope Mile rather than the longer John Henry Turf Championship (G2T) on the same card. Masteroffoxhounds scored in the John Henry, and Beyond Brilliant's relaxing City of Hope trip was absolute perfection.
When the gate opened, jockey Victor Espinoza let 9-5 favorite Beyond Brilliant go to the lead at his own pace.
"Wasn't that sweet?" Shirreffs said afterward. "Victor really got him a nice, long rein. He wasn't fighting with him; he wasn't choking him. The horse really relaxed, and that's the key."
That didn't mean Beyond Brilliant was dawdling. He completed the first quarter-mile in a zippy :22.67, while Irideo on the rail, Prince Abama outside, and Tarantino in between tracked him.
"It was fast fractions, but he was doing it nice and relaxed," said Espinoza. "When he does that and he's on high cruise speed, he'll finish pretty well."
Espinoza was able to slow things down a hair for the second quarter, as Beyond Brilliant recorded a :46.16 half-mile. Their steady pace allowed them to keep ahead of the other five throughout, even as Prince Abama tried to mount a challenge around the second turn.
Cathkin Peak , the second choice, trailed the field early and came running. He was able to catch Prince Abama, but neither impacted Beyond Brilliant, who won by three-quarters of a length in 1:32.61. Cathkin Peak finished 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Prince Abama, while another late runner, Kanderel , missed third by a head.
"I needed him to win this time because last time, when he ran in Del Mar, it was a little bit of a challenge for him the way it set up," said Espinoza. "It was not his race. To come back and win this race, it means a lot for him and also for me—and obviously for the whole team."
That team includes owners Lee and Susan Searing, who race in the name of CRK Stable. The Searings usually attend the races, but Lee was recovering from knee surgery Saturday.
The City of Hope marked Kentucky-bred Beyond Brilliant's third stakes win, following the 2022 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) and 2021 Hollywood Derby (G2T). Fred W. Hertrich III, John D. Fielding, and Robert L. Tribbett bred the 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy out of the winning First Defence mare Summer on the Lawn , a half sister to multiple graded winner Summer Applause . Her three starters have all been winners, although Beyond Brilliant is her lone graded stakes winner. She has a Mitole yearling filly that sold for $160,000 to Steven Rocco at the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale via Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment, and foaled a daughter of More Than Ready this year. She was bred to Charlatan for 2023.
Buyers had two chances at Beyond Brilliant. At the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, he was a $50,000 RNA from the Taylor Made consignment. Kings Equine offered him at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where Mayberry Farm purchased him for $200,000.