City of Hope Mile: Winless in 2023, D'Amato still believes in Hong Kong Harry

There were high hopes last winter that Hong Kong Harry would develop into a contender for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November.

The year has not gone as expected. Hong Kong Harry was winless in three starts from early March to late May.

Now, there are high hopes Hong Kong Harry can rebound and win his fourth graded stakes in the last 18 months in Saturday’s Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on turf at Santa Anita.

The $200,000 City of Hope Mile is the start of an intended campaign of turf stakes at Del Mar later this year and Santa Anita over the winter.

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“He’s been off longer than we liked,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “We have him ready for this spot.

“He’s a gelding. He’s a horse that has been good to us. He’s one of those horses that we want to keep around.”

Hong Kong Harry, unraced since a third in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita on May 29, is part of a field of nine in the City of Hope Mile, the fourth and final stakes on a 10-race program.

Irideo, second in the Shoemaker Mile but winless in two starts at Del Mar, will start from the outside, while Astronomer, the 21-1 winner of an allowance race at a mile on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 19, will be part of the pace.

D’Amato also starts Cathkin Peak, who was second in the 2022 City of Hope Mile and a troubled sixth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf on Sept. 2 in his latest start.

The race is missing the two leading Southern California turf milers – Du Jour and Exaulted, who were first and second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Sept. 2. They are both expected to make their next starts in the BC Mile on Nov. 4.

Hong Kong Harry, who races for the partnership of Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukewaga, and Tony Valazza, will be ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez, a replacement for Flavien Prat, who is riding in New York on Saturday.

D’Amato said Hernandez will have options of where to place a stalker such as Hong Kong Harry.

“I think he’s a real versatile horse,” D’Amato said. “The races where he was farther back, that was by design. We thought the pace would be hot and heavy. If they’re not flying, he can be tactical and pounce.

“I think his class puts him as one of the main contenders.”

Astronomer, the 30-1 winner of the Qatar Golden Mile for 2-year-olds at Del Mar in November 2021, will have his graded stakes debut in the City of Hope Mile. He has set the pace at times, and closed from third to win on Aug. 19.

“He’s done everything right between that race and here,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “He’s been on a good pattern. We’re excited to what he can do.

“We think he’s capable in this higher grade.”

Any sort of quick pace will help Twist or Irideo.

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Twist finished a troubled fifth by 2 1/2 lengths in the Del Mar Mile, racing in traffic in early stretch.

“He had a little trouble or he could have been second,” trainer John Sadler said.

Irideo, who was beaten a half-length in the Shoemaker Mile by Exaulted, lost twice to Du Jour in one-mile turf stakes at Del Mar, finishing sixth in the restricted Wickerr Stakes on July 23, and fourth by 2 1/2 lengths at 26-1 in the Del Mar Mile on Sept. 2.

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride Irideo for the first time in the City of Hope Mile.

Winless in nine starts since the 2022 Wickerr, Irideo can be a factor if he repeats his performance in the Shoemaker Mile.

“He’s coming along the same way he came to that stakes,” trainer Marcelo Polanco said. “He’s very bright.”

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