Santa Anita: Dr. Schivel, Hong Kong Harry, Lane Way win stakes

The stage is set for what could be one of the most compelling stories of this year’s Breeders’ Cup. Trainer Mark Glatt’s 5-year-old Dr. Schivel, beaten by a heartbreaking nose when second in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, out-gamed a determined Speed Boat Beach by a head in taking Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship.

The race was a win-and-you're in event for the Breeders' Cup Sprint, which will be run on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Over a main track rendered wet-fast due to sporadic rain earlier in the day, Dr. Schivel pressed the early pace from his post 2 and slipped inside early pacesetter Sir Atticus three furlongs out with Speed Boat Beach on the outside of a three-horse spread turning for home. With Speed Boat Beach relentless through the drive, Dr. Schivel found more at the rail, getting six furlongs with Juan Hernandez up in 1:08.49.

Idle for nearly all of 2022, Dr. Schivel was a 4 1/4-length, allowance winner going six furlongs in his seasonal debut three starts back at Santa Anita on May 23. The 5-year-old full horse by Violence was then a well beaten fifth by Eclipse Award winner Cody’s Wish in the Met Mile (G1) at Belmont Park on June 10 and most recently was a fast-finishing third, beaten by a neck by top sprinter The Chosen Vron in the six-furlong Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) on July 29 at Del Mar.

Off as the 2-1 post-time favorite in a field of nine Saturday, he paid $6.80, $3.60 and $2.60.

Jockey @JJHernandezS19 makes a tremendous ride aboard #2 DR. SCHIVEL ($6.80) for his second victory in the (G2) ?? Santa Anita Sprint Championship. Congratulations to trainer Mark Glatt and connections with this son of Violence.

Play the Pick 4 at @SantaAnitaPark on TVG. pic.twitter.com/Ywg8ryaeqZ

— TVG (@TVG) September 30, 2023

Out of the Mining for Money mare Lil Nugget, Dr. Schivel is owned by Red Baron’s Barn, Rancho Temescal, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and William Branch. A Grade 1 winner at 2 and 3, Dr. Schivel, who won the 2021 running of the Santa Anita Sprint Championship, is a four-time graded-stakes winner and is 14: 7-2-3 overall. With the winner’s share from Saturday of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $1,327,100.

Idle since Dec. 2, Speed Boat Beach ran too good to lose under Victor Espinoza, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of a fast-finishing Fort Bragg. Trained by Bob Baffert, Speed Boat Beach was off as the second choice at 3-1 and returned $4.60 and $3.80.

Fort Bragg, under Ramon Vazquez, was off at 10-1 and paid $4.80 while finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Sir Atticus.

Fractions for the race were 22.08, 44.27 and 56.19 seconds.

Hong Kong Harry wins City of Hope Mile

Idle since May 29, diminutive Ireland-bred gelding Hong Kong Harry was sharp early and in control late, attending the pace and rallying for a deceptively easy, neck score in the $200,000 City of Hope Mile (G3).

Contested over a course softened some by early rain, Phil D’Amato-trained Hong Kong Harry got this distance in 1:33.77 with Juan Hernandez aboard for the first time.

#4 HONG KONG HARRY (Ire) ($4.20) wins the $200,000 (GII) ?? City of Hope Mile with @JJHernandezS19 up for the @PhilDamato11 barn. Congratulations to owners Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa, and Tony Valazza!

?? Racing action continues on @FanDuelTV. pic.twitter.com/0F9FVGR5j3

— TVG (@TVG) October 1, 2023

A joint fourth about three lengths off Astronomer heading into the first turn, Hong Kong Harry was into the bridle in the run up the backside as he closed on the leader and War At Sea leaving the three-furlong pole.  Approaching the quarter pole, Hernandez hugged the rail, and when War At Sea tired at the top of the lane, Hong Kong Harry angled outside Astronomer and went on to win with his ears pricked in a thoroughly professional performance.

Third, beaten by 1 1/2 lengths as the 8-5 favorite in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) on the Santa Anita turf May 29, Hong Kong Harry was the even money favorite in a field of nine and paid $4.20, $3.40 and $2.40.

A 6-year-old gelding who is a two-time graded-stakes winner over the Santa Anita turf, Hong Kong Harry has 6 of 10 starts since coming to D’Amato’s barn in 2022, four of them coming in graded stakes.

Barely 15 hands tall, Hong Kong Harry is owned by Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa and Tony Valazza.  With an overall race record dating to a first-out win at age 4 in Ireland of 17: 10-2-2, he picked up $120,000 for Saturday’s effort, boosting his earnings to $775,097.

Off at 8-1 with Antonio Fresu, Astronomer stayed gamely, finishing one length in front of French-bred Twist and returned $8.00 and $4.20.

Twist, covered up in the run to the first turn, had two horses beaten early and rallied well over a course that appeared to be speed favoring.  With Hector Berrios up, the second choice at 3-1 paid $2.60 to show while finishing a half-length in front of Hit the Road.

Early fractions were 23.51, 47.67, 1:10.91 and 1:22.49.

Mandella, Smith guide Lane Way to win Eddie D

Hall of Famers Richard Mandella, 71, and Mike Smith, 58, combined more than 90 years of racing experience as they teamed for victory in the $200,000 Eddie D Stakes (G2) as veteran 6-year-old gelding Lane Way attended the pace and kept grinding his way to a half-length score, getting 6 1/2 furlongs out of the turf chute in 1:14.47.

#6 LANE WAY ($5.60) prevails in the (GII) ?? Eddie D Stakes at @SantaAnitaPark with Mike Smith in the irons for trainer Richard Mandella and owner @MyRacehorse. Congratulations to all of the connections with this 6-year-old son of Into Mischief! pic.twitter.com/Q2sfSqezZo

— TVG (@TVG) October 1, 2023

Named for Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, the Eddie D was moved from the hillside-turf course to the turf chute due to about two-fifths of an inch of rain.

Breaking sharply, Lane Way was a joint third, about 2 1/2 lengths off long shot Noble Reflection as the field crossed the main track shortly after the break. Smith was able to work his way closer at the rail in the run to the far turn and was a length off the leader to his outside turning for home. From there, he kept to his task, gaining the ascendancy a sixteenth out.

Away five months prior to finishing fifth in Del Mar’s Green Flash Handicap (G3) at five furlongs Sept. 2, Lane Way was off as the 9-5 favorite in a field of 11 and returned $5.60, $3.00 and $2.60.

A Kentucky-bred by Into Mischief, Lane Way is owned by MyRacehorse, which had about 150 people in the winner’s circle. In garnering his first graded-stakes win, Lane Way earned $120,000 and improved his overall race record to 19: 5-6-5.<

France-bred Bran, about two lengths off the lead at the top of the lane, finished well, prevailing by a nose over Noble Reflection for second money. Off at 7-2 with Juan Hernandez, Bran paid $4.00 and $2.60.

Off at 15-1 with Mario Gutierrez, Noble Reflection paid $6.80 to show while finishing a half-length better than Ireland-bred I’m A Gambler.

Fractions for the Eddie D, run over at turf listed as good were 23.39, 45.86 and 1:08.49.