El Potente, a hard-trying third in the Del Mar Mile, is being pointed to City of Hope Mile
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El Potente, beaten a neck in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 22, will be given another chance to win a race at that level in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita on Sept. 26.
In the $303,000 Del Mar Mile, El Potente stalked pacesetter Cabo Spirit before leading briefly in early stretch. The 5-2 favorite, El Potente finished third behind King of Gosford, narrowly losing second to Detain.
“He’s been back jogging the last couple of days,” trainer Dan Blacker said. “Right now, the plan is the City of Hope Mile.”
El Potente started from the outside post in a field of 11 in the Del Mar Mile.
“I love this horse because he always tries so hard,” Blacker said. “He has a massive heart. The post position did us in. We had to use him quite a bit to get into position on the first turn.
“That was costly. I think if we had drawn inside, we would have won. He still ran a great race.
“Hopefully we get a better draw in the next one. He seems to run his best races at Santa Anita.”
Owned by Michael Way, El Potente has won 7 of 19 starts and earned $420,796. A 7-year-old horse, El Potente has won the last two runnings of the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita. El Potente has yet to win a Grade 2 race.
In the Grade 2 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in March, El Potente finished second by a half-length to the outsider Final Boss as the 9-5 favorite. Final Boss has since been retired to stud.
The City of Hope Mile is on King of Gosford’s schedule, trainer Phil D’Amato said last weekend. Detain will be considered for the race, trainer Michael McCarthy said on Friday.
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