Conquest Enforcer Back for More in Arcadia

Conquest Enforcer's first start in Southern California couldn't have gone much better.

With a new ownership group and under the guidance of trainer Phil D'Amato for the first time, the Into Mischief   colt who was a $785,000 purchase by Loooch Racing out of the 2016 Keeneland November sale set the pace, took pressure, and dug in to win the Dec. 26 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park.

"He took that pressure on a fresh turf course that had gotten a lot of rain, and it showed a lot of heart," D'Amato said of Conquest Enforcer's pace—:22.91, :46.11, and 1:10.29 through six furlongs. "Usually, early in the meet, the track plays fair, which made the way he did it even more impressive."

REEDER: Conquest Enforcer Strikes for New Connections

But with the new year comes a new challenge in the $200,000 Arcadia Stakes (G2T) Feb. 11 at Santa Anita.

The 4-year-old bay, who has five wins from eight starts and earnings of $480,640, raced against older horses during his 3-year-old year in 2016, but he lost both starts. Previously trained by Mark Casse, Conquest Enforcer ran third by a neck sprinting in the Nearctic Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine and finished third in the Play the King Stakes (G2T), also at Woodbine.

"We'll find out," D'Amato said of trying the older-horse turf division in California for the first time. "I'm pretty confident he'll handle it just fine. There are some quality horses in there and he definitely has earned a spot to compete against those horses."

Of the four other entrants for the Arcadia, three are graded winners. The horse in the best form from the group—if you toss out his off-the-board finish in the off-the-turf San Gabriel (G3)—is St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds' Ring Weekend.

In his previous grass start, the 6-year-old Tapit   gelding just outfinished Vyjack to win the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar. Fellow Arcadia entrant What a View finished sixth in the Seabiscuit, but came back from a two-month layoff to run a quality second to graded winner Ashleyluvssugar in the California Cup Turf Classic Jan. 28.

BALAN: Ring Weekend Edges Vyjack in Seabiscuit 'Cap

Returning from an extended layoff is Golden Pegasus Racing and Earle Mack's Bolo, the defending Arcadia champion. In last year's Arcadia, he returned from a nearly identical layoff (his last race was in July in both cases) to win the mile Arcadia by a neck over Obviously. The son of Temple City   went winless in three starts after that, though, including a second-place run—3 3/4 lengths back—behind What a View in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T).

BALAN: Bolo Upsets Obviously in Arcadia Stakes

Rounding out the field is Ohio, who has won two allowance races since he made his U.S. debut in March, but is winless in five starts against graded stakes competition.