D'Amato hoping Almendares breaks through in Kilroe Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – There have been more frustrations than successes in the nearly three years since Almendares arrived from Ireland.

In 16 U.S. starts, Almendares has won three times, including the restricted Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar last July. In his last start, the 6-year-old gelding closed from 11th of 12 to finish third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf on Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park, the eighth time he has been second or third in a graded stakes.

The elusive graded stakes win may happen in Saturday’s Grade 2 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita. Trainer Phil D’Amato is banking on a recent jockey change to help the chances of Almendares. Tyler Gaffalione rode Almendares for the first time on Jan. 24 and retains the mount in the $200,000 Kilroe.

“I think he got to know him in the Pegasus Turf,” D’Amato said.

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The key to riding Almendares, D’Amato said, is timing. Almendares is a closer who has repeatedly shown a rapid rally. In the Kilroe Mile, Almendares starts from post 2.

“I like my post,” D’Amato said. “I like my rider. It looks like there is some pace in the race. It’s all pluses.”

Almendares, owned by John Rochfort, Ian McLean, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig, and Ray Pagano, will be at the back of the field early, along with contenders such as Astronomer, Gas Me Up, and Mi Hermano Ramon, all graded stakes winners.

The stakes winners Cabo Spirit, El Potente, Final Boss, and Mi Bago are capable of leading or racing near the front. El Potente led throughout the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita and has performed well as a stalker, closing from second to win the 2024 Thunder Road. Hector Berrios was aboard for those wins and has the mount Saturday.

“He doesn’t have to be on the lead,” trainer Dan Blacker said. “I’ll leave it up to Hector.”

Gas Me Up, seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar in November, won the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes for sprinters on the hillside turf course Dec. 29 with an eye-catching rally. Gas Me Up was second in the Thunder Road last month, closing from last of five.

“I don’t think he ran his best race,” trainer Peter Eurton said.

Eurton is banking on runners such as Mi Bago and Cabo Spirit to set a rumbling pace Saturday.

“It looks like there is plenty of speed to make it fair,” he said.

A fast pace will aid Astronomer. Similar to Almendares, the 7-year-old Astronomer has been second or third in six stakes. He has not won a stakes since the Qatar Golden Mile at Del Mar in 2021.

Astronomer was fourth by 1 1/4 lengths in the Pegasus World Cup Turf.

“He ran good there and was a little wide,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “I think it was a credible race. He always shows up, it seems. He’s going to win one of these days.”

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