Cleopatra's Strike pulls upset in John Henry Turf Championship

ARCADIA, Calif. – Cleopatra’s Strike gave jockey Abel Cedillo his first graded stakes win at Santa Anita with an upset in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship.

Cleopatra’s Strike closed from fourth in a field of eight to win by a length over Acclimate, the 5-2 second choice who set the pace. The first two finishers are trained by Phil D’Amato.

Later on Saturday’s program, Cedillo won the first Grade 1 race of his career with a 25-1 upset on Mongolian Groom in the Awesome Again Stakes.

Cleopatra’s Strike ($20.60) was the fifth choice in the betting and ran 1 1/4 miles in 1:58.22. Cleopatra’s Strike earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 97.

Cedillo had Cleopatra’s Strike six lengths off the pace through a half-mile in 46.05 seconds and gradually moved closer to have his mount in second with a quarter-mile remaining.

“I knew they were going fast,” Cedillo said. “He can do what you want. You can go or sit back.”

Cleopatra’s Strike drew alongside Acclimate with a furlong to go, and did not take the lead until the final sixteenth.

Acclimate, who won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on Aug. 17 from the front, finished three-quarters of a length in front of 2-1 favorite United, who closed from fifth. Acclimate led by as many as 4 1/2 lengths under jockey Victor Espinoza after early pressure from The Street Fighter.

“I had to use him a little bit,” Espinoza said. The Street Fighter “wanted to go with him. It’s hard to slow him down at that point. I didn’t want to take him out of his rhythm.

“I thought he’d come back. He still ran a big race.”

Oscar Dominguez, who was second to Acclimate in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes here in June and the Del Mar Handicap, closed from last to finish fourth, and was followed by Ritzy A. P., Grecian Fire, Ya Gotta Wanna, and The Street Fighter.

Cleopatra’s Strike, a 6-year-old gelding by Smart Strike, won his first stakes in the $201,053 John Henry Turf Championship, his third start for owners Slam Dunk Racing and Michael Nentwig and D’Amato.

Cleopatra’s Strike was second by a nose in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf here in January in his California debut. He was off for eight months and finished second by a head in an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option at Del Mar on Sept. 2 that led to a start in Saturday’s race.

Cleopatra’s Strike has won 4 of 25 starts and earned $376,844.