Hong Kong Harry begins season as one to beat in Frank Kilroe Mile
ARCADIA, Calif. – From a prolific stable that specializes in turf runners, Hong Kong Harry has been a standout in the last year for trainer Phil D’Amato.
Hong Kong Harry has won 3 of 4 starts in graded stakes since last June, showing improvement as the season progressed.
The wins have left high expectations for Hong Kong Harry’s 2023 campaign, beginning in Saturday’s Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita. The $500,000 Kilroe is the top turf race of the winter in California.
A winner of 9 of 13 starts in Britain and California, Hong Kong Harry has shown such promise that D’Amato thinks the 6-year-old gelding is worthy of a start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita later this year, even if the race is eight months away.
“I don’t think there is a miler on the West Coast better than him,” D’Amato said. “I think he’s the top dog and everyone has to see where they stand against him.”
Owned by the partnership of Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa, and Tony Valazza, Hong Kong Harry is part of a field of nine, all graded or group stakes winners.
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Hong Kong Harry is one of four entrants trained by D’Amato along with the promising 4-year-old Balnikhov; Masteroffoxhounds, who was second in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf Feb. 5; and Gold Phoenix, who has won at a mile but has excelled at longer distances in the last year.
Du Jour, Air Force Red, and Irideo were second through fourth in a close finish in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf Feb. 4, a key prep race for the Kilroe Mile. Cabo Spirit, a three-time stakes winner last year who is part of the Kilroe field, was sixth in that race, closing from last in the final furlong.
The Kilroe is the 2023 debut of Royal Ship, who won the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on dirt at Del Mar last July. A Group 1 winner on turf in Brazil in 2020, Royal Ship will start on turf for the first time since a fifth-place finish in the 2021 Kilroe.
The Kilroe is the 11th race on a 12-race program that begins at noon Pacific. The final six races comprise the 20-cent Rainbow pick six, which will have a mandatory payout.
Hong Kong Harry, who will be ridden by Flavien Prat, will be favored in the Kilroe Mile, a goal for D’Amato since last fall. Hong Kong Harry won his final two starts of 2022 in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile in August and the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 26 at Del Mar.
Hong Kong Harry won those races from well off the pace, but won the Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita last June from a tracking position in his stakes debut.
“He’s a really handy horse,” D’Amato said. “He can be stalking or farther back. He’s a horse you like to have.”
Balnikhov has a similar running style, which carried him to a win in the Grade 3 Bryan Station Stakes at a mile on turf at Keeneland last October, the most prestigious win of his 15-race career. Balnikhov was later a game second by a nose to One Smart Bid in the Grade 2 Mathis Mile on turf for 3-year-olds on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.
:: Get Santa Anita Clocker Reports straight from the morning workouts at the track. Available every race day. The Kilroe will be a test for Balnikhov, his first appearance against older horses in his first start since the Mathis Mile.
“I see him on the improve,” D’Amato said. “He’s filled out from 3 to 4 and getting stronger. I’m looking forward to campaigning him.”
Air Force Red is expected to set the pace, a style that led to consecutive wins in the restricted Lure Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita in October and the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course Dec. 31.
In the Thunder Road Stakes, Air Force Red stalked pacesetter Dark Shift, raced wide throughout, and led briefly before losing by a nose to Earls Rock.
Trainer Leonard Powell recently blamed himself for Air Force Red’s loss.
“I think he’ll be fitter than last time,” Powell said. “I don’t think I trained him that hard.
“Going a mile, I think it showed in the last 100 yards. This time, I think he will be fitter, at least that’s what I hope.”
Buena Vista
In the final months of 2020, the Irish import Quattroelle won two of her first three starts in California, including the minor Blue Norther Stakes at a mile on turf for 2-year-old fillies.
At the time, Quattroelle seemed capable of dominating the next year’s 3-year-old division, only for the season to be disrupted by injury. Quattroelle returned to racing last summer. Seven races into her comeback, Quattroelle displayed a career-best performance to win the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes at a mile on turf Feb. 4.
The win has led to her richest start in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes on Saturday, a $200,000 race for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.
In the Megahertz, Quattroelle closed from last in a field of seven in the final half-mile to win at 10-1. Quattroelle will not be anything near that price in the Buena Vista, the first of four stakes on Saturday’s 12-race program.
“That reminded me of the Quattroelle that first got here from Europe,” trainer Jeff Mullins said Thursday. “She was sidelined for some minor issues. Sometimes with these mares, it takes a long time to get back into the groove.”
In the Megahertz, Quattroelle rallied between runners to win by a half-length under jockey Hector Berrios, who has the mount Saturday.
“You have to give a lot of credit to the rider,” Mullins said.
Owned by Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, Quattroelle is part of a field of eight in the Buena Vista Stakes.
Closing Remarks, third by a length in the Megahertz, can be a factor as a stalker. She is winless in 10 career starts in graded stakes, but has been second or third in six of those races.
School Dance, second by a head to stablemate Rhea Moon in the Grade 1 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles on turf Dec. 26 and fifth in the Megahertz, is one of four runners in the field trained by D’Amato, including the recent allowance race winners Kitty Katana and Macadamia.
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