Beyond Brilliant lone speed in City of Hope Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – The most likely winner of the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on Saturday at Santa Anita is easy to find – the best horse is also the lone speed.

Beyond Brilliant resumes an interrupted campaign in the $200,000 City of Hope Mile, race 5 at a mile on turf, and the outcome might be less predictable if any of the front-runner’s rivals could keep him company early. None can, at least not on paper.

Irideo and Cathkin Peak, late-runners who finished two-three in a similar Grade 2 turf mile last out, are Beyond Brilliant’s main challengers. The six-horse field includes stakes winner Kandarel, entry-level allowance winner Prince Abama, and blinkers-on Tarantino.

Winner of the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby last fall at Del Mar and a Grade 2 in April at Santa Anita, Beyond Brilliant gets ideal conditions Saturday against a field without the circuit’s top milers. Grade 1 winner Count Again is done for the season, Smooth Like Strait runs next week in Kentucky, Hong Kong Harry will wait for fall at Del Mar.

Beyond Brilliant would have been among the favorites Sept. 3 racing 1 3/8 miles in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap, but he wrenched an ankle days before the race and was not entered. The setback was temporary.

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“Whatever [time] he missed, it wasn’t a big deal,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “Maybe a week.”

By mid-September, Beyond Brilliant was back working for a comeback in either the City of Hope Mile or John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles. Shirreffs chose the mile.

“Him being fresher will probably be a little easier ride for Victor” Espinoza, Shirreffs said.

Beyond Brilliant, 4 for 13 with $586,780 in earnings for owners Lee and Susan Searing, should be long gone.

Phil D’Amato entered Cathkin Peak and Prince Abama. Although Cathkin Peak rallied from last to finish third in his two most recent starts, D’Amato envisions a different trip Saturday.

“I think he can be a little more handy, he can show more tactical speed,” D’Amato said.

Cathkin Peak, a listed stakes winner and four-time graded placed, has won 3 of 11.

Prince Abama is the wild card. D’Amato said the lightly raced gelding was only “90 percent cranked” for his entry-level allowance comeback win.

“He’s a horse on the improve, and I think there’s more in the tank,” he said.

Prince Abama has won 2 of 7.

Irideo, a Group 1 winner in Argentina, blossomed this summer at Del Mar for trainer Marcelo Polanco. Irideo upset the restricted Wickerr Stakes and finished second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile.

Turf sprinter Kandarel could have run Saturday in the Grade 2 Eddie D on the hillside course, but trainer Richard Mandella has the sharp Lane Way in that race. Kandarel looked good working in company with graded winner Tizamagician on Sept. 24.

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