Exaulted, Johannes Snag Stakes Victories at Santa Anita
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Exaulted wins the American Stakes at Santa Anita Park
C R K Stable's Exaulted has reemerged anew since switching to the turf three starts ago. The bay punctuated his affinity for the lawn, over which he is undefeated, with a decisive victory in the April 2 $100,500 American Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.
Although he was multiple graded stakes-placed sprinting on the dirt, when Exaulted lagged through an 0-for-5 year in 2022, trainer Peter Eurton made the decision to test his pupil on turf for his 6-year-old debut.
“He wasn’t running as well as a 5-year-old and kept getting injuries, from the dirt I think, behind, and he just wasn’t right,” Eurton said. “So as a last resort this year we thought we’d try him on the grass.”
The surface change has been a welcome one for Exaulted, who after netting two sparkling allowance-level scores at Santa Anita, both times shading 1:35 for the turf mile distance, stepped up as a formidable foe facing black-type company in Sunday’s contest.
After breaking sharply, jockey Juan Hernandez sat tight on Exaulted, flanking the frontrunning Bob and Jackie past an opening quarter in :22.71. Creeping closer and applying pressure on the pacesetter down the backstretch, Exaulted thrust a nose in front around the turn for home after a half-mile in :46.45. The son of Twirling Candy wrangled the lead from Bob and Jackie into the lane and strode powerfully to the wire in a final time of 1:33.65 on a firm turf course.
One and a half lengths behind the winner, Irideo closed late to edge Bob and Jackie for runner-up honors. Favored Du Jour , entering the American off a strong second-place finish to Gold Phoenix in the March 4 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T), could do no better than fourth after a mild rally down the stretch.
Exaulted ($5.80) boosted his bankroll to $303,660 following the American, becoming the first stakes winner produced from the Gilded Time mare Gilded Miracle. Bred in Kentucky by Jack Swain, he was acquired by C R K for $200,000 as a yearling at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale out of the Select Sales consignment.
Johannes Aces Two-Turn Test in Pasadena Stakes
Earlier on the card, Cuyathy's homebred Johannes swept to an eye-popping score in the $98,000 Pasadena Stakes.
Johannes draws away to win the Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Like Exaulted, Johannes has also shined since stepping foot on the grass, annexing his last three starts in impressive fashion for trainer Tim Yakteen. The Pasadena was his first time traveling two turns, which he executed by a widening 3 1/2 lengths under jockey Umberto Rispoli.
Unhurried early behind splits of :22.75 and :46.63, the colt angled four wide into the stretch run and blasted away from his rivals, hitting the wire in 1:33.79 for one mile.
Game Time and Wizard of Westwood completed the trifecta in the four-horse field. Keen to Go was fourth.
“It’s onward and upward,” Yakteen said. “It was a small field but I think it was a great steppingstone for us to validate that we can two-turn. I’ll get together with Joe (McCloskey, who races as Cuyathy) and come up with a game plan and see if we can have some fun. Very nice. We are very happy.”
The 3-year-old son of Nyquist -Cuyathy, by Congrats paid $2.60 to win as the short-priced favorite.
Video: Pasadena S. (BT)