For Mr. A. P., next start could come in Native Diver or Malibu

ARCADIA, Calif. - He has won twice at a mile and once at 1 1/16 miles in his nine-race career, with the latest success coming in Saturday’s $93,144 Tokyo City Cup at a mile at Santa Anita.

Now decisions loom as to how to campaign Mr. A. P. in the final months of his 3-year-old season. Options include the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes against older horses at 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 21, or the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.

Minutes after Mr. A. P. won his first stakes in the Tokyo City Cup, against older horses, trainer Vladimir Cerin said the $300,000 Malibu Stakes is a goal, but did not rule out the Native Diver.

Cerin said Mr. A. P. may not race again until the Malibu.

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“Hopefully with a little break he’ll be better,” Cerin said. “I do want to keep him happy.”

Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo in the Tokyo City, Mr. A. P. closed with a wide rally on the turn and was positioned on the inside in the stretch. Sent off as the 9-10 favorite, Mr. A. P. won by 1 3/4 lengths over 8-1 Lyell’s Song, who led on the backstretch and into the stretch.

The Tokyo City Cup was Mr. A. P.’s second start of the Santa Anita autumn meeting. He finished fourth in the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 26, 4 1/4 lengths behind winner Forged Steel.

In his first career start in a Grade 1, Mr. A. P. finished second to Ted Noffey in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar last October.

Mr. A. P. was sidelined last winter with a minor injury. He raced on turf in his first three starts this year – a third in the Oceanside Handicap at a mile at Del Mar in July, a win in an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar in August, and a ninth-place finish of 14 in the $1.74 million Gun Runner Stakes at a mile on the undulating course at Kentucky Downs.

Cerin insists that Mr. A.P. is not suited for turf racing.

“I thought for sure he’d like the grass,” Cerin said. “Even when he won, he didn’t look comfortable.”

When Cerin saw the undulating course at Kentucky Downs, he feared Mr. A. P. would not be suited to the venue.

“I thought, why did I come here?” he said. “It’s hard to scratch for $1.75 million.”

Owned by David and Holly Wilson, Mr. A. P. has won 3 of 8 starts and earned $558,256.

By American Pharoah, Mr. A. P. was claimed for $150,000 in July 2025 when he finished second in a maiden race at Del Mar in his debut.

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