Masteroffoxhounds takes advantage of easy early pace to win John Henry Turf

ARCADIA, Calif. - A slow early pace helped Masteroffoxhounds win the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Masteroffoxhounds ($6.20) needed an easy tempo in the first half of the $200,000 race at 1 1/4 miles on turf. He was sternly tested by 6-1 Dicey Mo Chara and 6-5 favorite Gold Phoenix in the final furlong, but was on.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Masteroffoxhounds set an early pace of 24.51 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.88 for a half-mile, leading by as much as 1 1/2 lengths. Masteroffoxhounds had a three-length advantage at the eighth pole when his rivals began to close as a team.

Masteroffoxhounds won by a neck in 1:59.79 over Dicey Mo Chara, who was a head in front of Gold Phoenix. Masteroffoxhounds ran the final quarter-mile in a brisk 22.79 seconds. Gold Phoenix was fourth with a quarter-mile remaining and finished in approximately 22 seconds.

Masteroffoxhounds earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

Masteroffoxhounds and Gold Phoenix are trained by Phil D’Amato.

:: Get ready for Santa Anita racing with DRF PPs, Clocker Reports, Picks, and more. Shop Now.

“They flew home,” D’Amato said. “Masteroffoxhounds got a win and some confidence.”

Gold Phoenix was fifth on the rail on the backstretch and closed between runners under jockey Juan Hernandez.

“I don’t think Juan wanted to be in that position,” Hernandez said.

Cash Equity finished fourth, followed by Tropical Terror and Breakpoint.

The John Henry Turf Championship was the first win for Masteroffoxhounds in nine starts since the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf in February 2021. Gold Phoenix and Masteroffoxhounds were first and fifth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Sept. 3.

Gold Phoenix earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 5 for winning the Del Mar Handicap and will make his next start in that race.

“I think this should set him up for the Breeders’ Cup,” D’Amato said.

Owned by Rockingham Ranch, Masteroffoxhounds, a 5-year-old horse by War Front, has won 4 of 19 starts and earned $496,042. D’Amato said the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 26 is a race goal for Masteroffoxhounds.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.