Mo Forza runs down Smooth Like Strait in City of Hope Mile
ARCADIA, Calif. – There is very little between Mo Forza, Smooth Like Strait, and Hit the Road in California’s turf mile division, other than that Mo Forza continues to win graded stakes in advance of the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
They were the first three finishers in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 21, separated by a length. The order of finish was the same in Saturday’s Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita. This time, the margin was little more than a half-length.
Mo Forza ($3.20) caught stretch leader Smooth Like Strait in the final sixteenth to win the $200,000 race by a half-length. Smooth Like Strait, the 9-5 second choice who was always near the front, held second, a head in front of 5-1 Hit the Road in a field of five.
The win confirms Mo Forza’s status as the leading domestic hope for the BC Mile, which is expected to include his two local rivals and significant international competitors.
“As of now, I think he’s one of the best milers, if not the best,” said winning rider Flavien Prat. “He had to show some class today to get by Smooth Like Strait.”
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Mo Forza was timed in 1:32.45, good for a 100 Beyer Speed Figure, winning for the eighth time in his 14-race career.
Smooth Like Strait set an early pace of 22.61 seconds, closely followed by 25-1 Red Storm Risen, who took a brief lead after a half-mile in 46.66. Smooth Like Strait was always within a half-length of Red Storm Risen and regained the advantage on the turn, leading by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining.
Despite holding a solid lead in the stretch, jockey Umberto Rispoli said the mid-race pressure took a toll on Smooth Like Strait.
“I think the movement on the backstretch cost me the race,” Rispoli said, referring to Red Storm Risen.
“I’m obligated to go with him. You can’t let him go.”
Mo Forza, who was last with a half-mile remaining, had advanced to third with a furlong remaining and closed extremely well to reach the front well before the wire.
“The first quarter was very fast and I was in a nice spot,” Prat said. “They picked it up on the backstretch. I waited to get a good run down the lane.”
The third-place finish by Hit the Road left trainer Dan Blacker frustrated. Hit the Road raced in traffic at the back of the small field on the turn and finished well once clear under jockey Florent Geroux.
“He didn’t get to run his best race,” Blacker said. “How he had a bad trip in a five-horse field, I don’t know.”
Red Storm Risen finished fourth, followed by Order and Law in the small field.
Mo Forza is trained by Peter Miller, who turned 55 on Saturday, on behalf of Bardy Farm and OG Boss. Bardy Farm is the racing operation of the late trainer Barry Abrams.