Obviously may run just once before Breeders' Cup Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. - Obviously ended a two-year losing streak with a sharp win in the $300,000 Poker Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday, a victory that left trainer Phil D’Amato in no hurry to plan another race.

D’Amato watched the Grade 3 Poker Stakes from his base in California on Saturday. He said Obviously may start one more time before an intended run in the Breeders’ Cup Mile here at Santa Anita on Nov. 5. Obviously has started in the Breeders’ Cup Mile the last four years with his best finish a third in 2012. He was ninth in the 2015 BC Mile at Keeneland.

“He’ll tell us when he’s ready to run,” D’Amato said. “If it all goes well, we’ll run him one more time.”

Two possibilities are the $200,000 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 21 or the $1 million Woodbine Mile on Sept. 17. Obviously was third in the 2015 Woodbine Mile last September in his first start of the year.

“I wouldn’t hesitate to go back,” D’Amato said of a trip to Woodbine. “He took the ship well. We know he likes the one-turn setup.”

In the Poker Stakes at a mile, the 8-year-old Obviously led throughout and won by 3 3-4 lengths as the 2-1 favorite. Owned by Anthony Fanticola and Joseph Scardino, Obviously has won 12 of 27 starts and earned $1,747,751.

Saturday’s win was the first for Obviously since the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita in 2014, ending a six-race losing streak.