Mo Forza cruises to City of Hope Mile score

ARCADIA, Calif. -- With less than 100 yards remaining in Saturday’s Grade 2 City of Hope Mile, jockey Flavien Prat decided Mo Forza had done enough. Leading by about two lengths, Prat stopped urging Mo Forza who cruised to a victory by 1 3/4 lengths.

There is a major assignment looming for Mo Forza in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 7. Might as well leave a little energy for that race, Prat thought.

“I thought he’ll be ready for the next one,” Prat said.

Mo Forza won the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 23 in his first start since January. The City of Hope Mile was his second start after the early-season rest.

“I like the way he came back and won this race,” Prat said.

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Sent off favored, Mo Forza ($3.20) ran a mile on turf in a quick 1:32.09, closing from fifth in a field of seven in the final half-mile. Mo Forza earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 106.

Blitzkrieg, the winner of the Grade 3 American Stakes here in June, set a solid pace of 22.58 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.61 for a half-mile. Blitzkrieg led by two lengths with a quarter-mile remaining.

Sharp Samurai, second to Maximum Security in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on dirt at Del Mar on Aug. 22, was third for the first six furlongs and moved closer to the front in early stretch, giving jockey Juan Hernandez the temporary thought that he was aboard the winner.

“I had a perfect trip, stalking on the inside,” Hernandez said. “I asked him at the three-eighths. It was time to go. He responded really well.

“For a moment, I thought I had it. At the sixteenth pole, I saw the other horse.”

Mo Forza was fourth with a furlong remaining and continued that momentum to the finish.

“We had a hot pace in front of us,” Prat said. “As soon as I got him in the clear, he made a good move.”

Bob and Jackie, a 24-1 outsider who won the restricted Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar in July, finished third, followed by Blitzkrieg, Majestic Eagle, Royal Ship, and Restrainedvengence.

Mo Forza has won 6 of 12 starts and earned $734,460 for Bardy Farm and OG Boss and trainer Peter Miller. At this time last year, Mo Forza was a maiden-race winner. A 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, Mo Forza has won five stakes in the 11 months, including the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar last November.

Cordiality wins Swingtime

Cordiality won her second restricted stakes in her last three starts in Saturday’s $86,160 Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Cordiality ($6.60) led by 1 1/2 lengths through the first half-mile and held off a threat from 5-1 Muchly to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:34.07.

Cordiality earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 86.

Colonial Creed was third throughout and held that position at the wire, finishing 1 3/4 lengths behind Cordiality in the field of six.

The Swingtime Stakes was restricted to non-winners of a first-place purse of $60,000 at a mile or over in stakes at a mile or over this year. Statebred stakes were restricted from the eligibility terms.

Cordiality, a 7-year-old California-bred mare by Papa Clem, has won 12 of 33 starts and earned $620,815. Trained by Tim Yakteen for Donnie Crevier, Cordiality was claimed for $62,500 in February 2019. She has won three stakes since being claimed, including the 2019 Fran’s Valentine Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares and the restricted Osunitas Stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar in July.