O'Neill has versatile brigade for spring
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California trainer Doug O’Neill spent last weekend in Saudi Arabia, where he watched his three-time stakes winner E J Won the Cup finish fourth in a prep race for the $20 million Saudi Cup in that country on Feb. 22.
While away, O’Neill’s stable had a banner weekend, recording its third and fourth stakes wins of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting with Katonah in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes for older horses and Vlahos in Sunday’s $92,000 Clocker’s Corner Stakes for sprinters.
Those two runners, and a few others from the stable, could be part of a fascinating late winter and early spring for O’Neill, who through Sunday was tied for second in the trainer’s standings with 10 wins, two behind leader Mark Glatt.
Katonah, a 6-year-old gelding, closed from last to win his first graded stakes in the $201,000 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, ending a five-race losing streak since the Pleasanton Mile in Northern California in July 2023.
The win in the San Pasqual is likely to lead to a start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on March 1.
“I wouldn’t see why not,” O’Neill said on Monday. “It’s in our own backyard. He’s a strong candidate at this point.”
The stable also has J B Strikes Back for the $300,000 Big Cap. J B Strikes Back won the Grade 2 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 26 for his first graded stakes win. J B Strikes Back led throughout the Pincay.
“Hopefully, we’ll have one on the front end and one from the back,” O’Neill said of his race strategy for the Big Cap.
Vlahos beat only two rivals in the Clocker’s Corner, which was scheduled at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course but was moved to the main track after midday rain.
A 4-year-old ridgling, Vlahos stalked pacesetter Mbagnick to the final furlong before winning by 1 1/4 lengths for his first stakes win. The win ended a four-race losing streak going back to last March and was the first start for Vlahos since he finished sixth of eight in the Zia Park Derby in New Mexico in November.
“With the race coming off the grass, it worked out perfect,” O’Neill said.
“He had fallen off form. The connections were patient and we got him back right. He looks great this morning.”
Vlahos was third in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs last May, but was fourth or worse in three starts in the fall. O’Neill said one-turn races are likely in coming months for Vlahos.
“He’s a solid one-turn horse and we’ve talked about wanting to try to the grass,” he said.
The next turf sprint stakes at Santa Anita is the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on the hillside turf course on March 8.
E J Won the Cup finished fourth behind fellow American shipper Rattle N Roll in a qualifying stakes for the Saudi Cup. E J Won the Cup has since been transferred to a trainer based in Saudi Arabia, O’Neill said.
O’Neill is hoping to have at least two runners for the Dubai World Cup program in the United Arab Emirates on April 5 with the 2024 stakes winner Mixto and Raging Torrent.
Mixto, the upset winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August, was fourth behind the brilliant White Abarrio in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
O’Neill said he is “hopeful” Mixto will receive an invitation to start in the $12 million Dubai World Cup at 1 1/4 miles.
Raging Torrent, winner of the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, remains on schedule to start in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on the Dubai World Cup undercard, O’Neill said.
This Saturday, O’Neill plans to start Zio Jo in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes for turf milers, one of four graded stakes at Santa Anita on the program.
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