Obviously, Tom's Tribute will train up to Breeders' Cup Mile

Two of California’s leading turf milers – Obviously and Tom’s Tribute – will pass the $200,000 City of Hope Mile on Oct. 4 and be trained to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile, their trainers said on Friday.

Tom’s Tribute, trained by Jim Cassidy, won two stakes at Del Mar – the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf on July 20 and the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 24.

Obviously, trained by Phil D’Amato, won the Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita in June, but was only fourth in the Del Mar Mile.

“I want a nice, fresh horse for the Breeders’ Cup,” D’Amato said.

The City of Hope Mile is one of five stakes on Oct. 4-5 that are preps for Breeders’ Cup races.

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On Oct. 4, Secret Circle, winner of the 2013 BC Sprint, and Goldencents, winner of the 2013 BC Dirt Mile, are expected to start in the $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, a prep race for the BC Sprint. The program includes the $100,000 L.A. Woman Stakes for fillies and mares, a prep race for the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.

Sunday’s program is highlighted by two $100,000 turf races for juveniles over a mile – the Zuma Beach and Surfer Girl Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. They are prep races for the BC Juvenile Turf and Juvenile Fillies Turf.

State’s handle up slightly

Handle figures for Thoroughbred racing in California increased 1 percent over 2013 through August, according to figures announced on Wednesday at the California Horse Racing Board.

Executive director Rick Baedeker reported that betting at all California’s racetracks, including harness and Quarter Horse meetings, are “virtually even” with 2013 figures.

Betting in August showed a decline from 2013. Baedeker said that handle figures for daytime racing fell 4.4 percent compared with August 2013.