Rivals Challenge King of Gosford in City of Hope Mile

After delivering one of the most exciting finishes of this year's racing season, the top four finishers from last month's Del Mar Mile Stakes (G2T), led by winner King of Gosford , will meet again Sept. 26 in the $200,000 City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T) on the Santa Anita Park turf.

In the Aug. 22 Del Mar Mile, King of Gosford rallied from fourth to edge runner-up Detain  by a head. In that race completed by King of Gosford in 1:34.22 on firm turf, it was another neck back to third-place El Potente  and just another neck back to early leader Cabo Spirit  holding fourth.

All four of those runners are entered again Saturday.

The victory in the $303,000 Del Mar Mile wrapped up a successful meeting for Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig, and Jeremy Peskoff's King of Gosford. The 5-year-old son of Zoustar  also has enjoyed success at Santa Anita, where he has won a pair of graded stakes, including the 2025 Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T).

Umberto Rispoli, who was aboard for both stakes wins at Del Mar, has the mount again Saturday for Phil D'Amato-trained King of Gosford.

Saturday's runners will have a chance to secure a fees-paid start in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) as the City of Hope is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In event. The City of Hope will be offered as the third race on the card, with a scheduled post time of 2:06 p.m. PT.

Eddie D Stakes Preview

Strong finisher Sorrento Sky  will try to secure a second straight graded stakes win sprinting on the turf when he stretches out to an about 6 1/2-furlong sprint down the hill in the $200,000 Eddie D Stakes (G2T).

While Sorrento Sky, who has a similar ownership team to King of Gosford, has won sprinting on the hillside course, he has since dropped four straight graded stakes over the course. He enters off a victory in the Green Flash Handicap (G2T) Aug. 22 on the Del Mar turf, with Rispoli up.

The field includes 2024 Eddie D winner First Peace , who in June finished third in the Daytona Stakes (G3T) over the same route. Trained by Mark Glatt, the 6-year-old son of Funtastic   enters off a third-place finish in a 1-mile allowance optional claiming race Aug. 22 on the Del Mar turf.

John C. Harris Stakes Preview

Saturday's card also will see 3-year-old fillies sprinting on the hillside course in the $100,000 John C. Harris Stakes (G3T) where Spendthrift Farm homebred Brave Deb  will make her seasonal debut.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Brave Deb won last year's Surfer Girl Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita before an off-the-board finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) to close out the season.