Obviously points to sixth straight Breeders’ Cup race
ARCADIA, Calif. - Obviously, winner of Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, will race as a 9-year-old in 2017 with the goal of a sixth consecutive appearance in a Breeders’ Cup race at Del Mar next fall.
Obviously was beaten in four straight runnings of the BC Mile from 2012-15 and raced in the Turf Sprint for the first time this year. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Obviously led throughout the about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course to win by a nose over Om.
Trainer Phil D’Amato said Sunday no plans have been finalized for Obviously’s next start.
“We’ll keep him around and decide in the next month or two what to do,” D’Amato said. “To me, he’s as good as ever. He’s such a pro. In the paddock, he used to be so high-strung. Now he conserves his energy.”
Owned by Anthony Fanticola and Joe Scardino, Obviously has won 13 of 29 starts and has earned $2,321,751. He won the Grade 3 Poker Stakes on turf at Belmont Park in June and was third to stablemate Vyjack and Om in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile here Oct. 8 in his two starts prior to Saturday.
“For an old man, he bounced out of the City of Hope as well I could see,” D’Amato said.
Obviously gave the 40-year-old D’Amato his first Breeders’ Cup winner. He has trained since spring 2014, having previously worked as an assistant to Mike Mitchell. Mitchell, who died in 2015, was the first American trainer of Obviously, who arrived in the United States from England in late 2011.
Om will be considered for the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint at six furlongs on turf at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on March 25, trainer Dan Hendricks said. Hendricks said the $200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar is a remote possibility.
“It’s a little quick back,” he said. “We’ll look at that.”
The Al Quoz Sprint is run on a straightaway course. In the BC Turf Sprint, Om closed from last of 14 in the final three furlongs to just miss. The BC Turf Sprint was the shortest grass race of Om’s career, which includes five wins in 15 starts.
“It would be nice to give him a break now and get him a prep,” Hendricks said. “I think he can run in anything from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. We’ve got lots of options for next year.”