River Boyne Brings Strong SA Record to Kilroe Mile

Irish-bred River Boyne heads into the March 30 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T) as the 5-2 second choice despite finishing off the board in his most recent start. Chalk that one up to bad racing luck.

The 4-year-old son of Ballyhane Stud's group 1-placed, group 3 winner Dandy Man has compiled an impressive 7-3-1 record out of 15 starts and owns six wins from seven starts at Santa Anita Park, which resumes racing March 29. The Kilroe Mile is one of two $400,000, grade 1 stakes on the card, which also includes the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) for fillies and mares 3 years old and up.

Owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal and trained by Jeff Mullins, River Boyne won six of nine starts last year, including the La Jolla Handicap (G3T) at Del Mar, and the Twilight Derby (G2T) and Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita.

He kicked off his 2019 campaign Feb. 9 as the heavy favorite in the one-mile Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) with jockey Flavien Prat, who has been aboard for 11 of the colt's starts. A furlong from the wire, River Boyne and Prat were gunning for a tight gap that promised a path to the winner's circle, but that gap closed as quickly as it appeared. Prat had to abruptly check his mount, and the race was lost. River Boyne still managed to cross the wire just 1 1/4 lengths behind the bunched trio of True Valour, Ohio, and Le Ken. 

The morning-line favorite for the Kilroe Mile at odds of 8-5 is Woodford Racing's Catapult. The 6-year-old son of Kitten's Joy  trained by John Sadler doesn't boast as strong a record at Santa Anita as River Boyne, whom he has never faced, but Catapult won twice and was second twice out of four starts last year, with one of those runner-up efforts coming in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), a half-length behind Expert Eye.

Catapult made his 2019 debut in the inaugural $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) over a yielding course at Gulfstream Park, where he finished fourth under Joel Rosario. In the Kilroe Mile, Catapult's regular rider throughout 2018, Drayden Van Dyke, is back aboard.

Ohio also returns for the Kilroe Mile. The 8-year-old gelded son of Elusive Quality has shown improved and more consistent form in black-type company since trainer Michael McCarthy claimed him in June at Santa Anita for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Bruce Treitman. In his past four starts, Ohio won the Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Handicap by 6 1/2 lengths, was second in the Thunder Road, and finished third in the City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T). 

Two other grade 1 winners in the mix will keep things interesting. 

Breaking from post 5 on the inside of River Boyne is Next Shares, a 6-year-old gelded son of Archarcharch trained by Richard Baltas for partners Michael Iavarone, Jules Iavarone, Jerry McClanahan, Christopher Dunn, William Marasa, Ritchie Robershaw, and Mark Taylor. Next Shares won his 2019 debut in the Jan. 5 San Gabriel Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita and was most recently seventh in the Pegasus World Cup Turf. Last year, he finished second in the Kilroe Mile and captured his first grade 1 in the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland.

Breaking nearest the rail in this year's Kilroe Mile is Irish-bred Hunt, who ran down multiple grade 1 winner Heart to Heart and Next Shares in the 2018 Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T). However, the 7-year-old gelded son of Dark Angel trained by Phil D'Amato for owner Michael House has been unplaced in his past three starts.

Entries: Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. (G1T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, March 30, 2019, Race 5

• Grade IT
• 1m
• Turf
• $400,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 3:17 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Hunt (IRE)	Brice Blanc	120	Philip D'Amato	8/1
2	2Ohio (BRZ)	Ruben Fuentes	120	Michael W. McCarthy	6/1
3	3Desert Stone (IRE)	Geovanni Franco	120	Richard Baltas	8/1
4	4Catapult (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	122	John W. Sadler	8/5
5	5Next Shares (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	124	Richard Baltas	3/1
6	6River Boyne (IRE)	Rafael Bejarano	122	Jeff Mullins	5/2