Count Again earns Breeders’ Cup berth with Shoemaker Mile win

Count Again became racing’s newest millionaire Monday, rallying from last in the six-horse field under Irad Ortiz Jr. to win the $500,000 Grade I Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita as the 5-2 second choice in the wagering.

Taking advantage of a blistering early pace, Ortiz had the Philip D’Amato-trained Count Again in full gear through the stretch as he collared 2-5 favorite Smooth Like Strait in the final eighth of a mile and drew off to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Dance Some Mo, a 45-1 longshot who carved out crazy fractions of 22.54 and 45.58 before giving way to Smooth Like Strait, finished last as the winner wound up running the mile on turf in a swift 1:32.40.

Count Again, a troubled sixth in the Grade I Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland on April 15 on the heels of a victory at Santa Anita in the Grade I Kilroe Mile on March 5, won for the seventh time in 17 starts while hiking his earnings to $1,069,915.

The victory earned Count Again a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 5.

“He was in great position today, and turning for home he had the leader measured,” D’Amato said. “He was sitting on a big race today. This puts him in a position to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November.”

For Ortiz, the victory was a continuation of a huge afternoon for the East Coast-based jockey. He won the Hollywood Gold Cup one race before the Shoemaker Mile after winning two of the first three races.

“They went a little fast, but I wasn’t too far (back),” Ortiz said. “Honestly, I was happy where I was with my horse. Most of the time, he comes from off the pace. I just wanted to be in contact with the field and when he put me right there in the first turn, I said, ‘Why not?’ Let him be there, and he responded really well.

“When I went through horses at the quarter pole, Phil told me to make sure to keep him outside down the stretch, in the clear, and that’s what I did. When we were in the clear, I asked him and he took off.”

Count Again has now won three of his four starts in 2022 and won for the fifth time in eight starts at Monday’s mile distance.

“I just followed instructions,” Ortiz said. “Phil told me to let him do his thing and don’t rush him. He has a big turn of foot. The horse was ready to run today.”

Gamely Stakes

Ocean Road, a 5-1 shot ridden by Umberto Rispoli, rallied from last to win the $400,000 Grade I race for fillies and mare on the turf, denying Ortiz a sweep of the afternoon’s three stakes races.

The 4-year-old filly trained by Brendan Walsh got up in the last few jumps to edge Going to Vegas and Ortiz by a half length for her first graded-stakes victory in two tries. Final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:46.66.

The winner, a 4-year-old daughter of Australia bred in Ireland, has won three of eight lifetime for earnings of $351,772.