Obviously will train up to Breeders’ Cup Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – Obviously, who finished third in the Woodbine Mile in Canada on Sept. 13, will not start in the $200,000 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita and will be trained toward the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said he prefers a lengthier gap between starts for Obviously, a 7-year-old gelding who has won seven stakes.

“The spacing is good, it’s whether I can get in” to the BC Mile, D’Amato said. “I hope to run in the Breeders’ Cup. The six weeks is perfect. I don’t want to run him in three weeks and then again in three weeks.”

Obviously was beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Mondialiste in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in his first start of the year. D’Amato said he is hopeful that Obviously accomplished enough in that race to merit selection for the BC Mile if the race oversubscribes. The field will be limited to 14 starters.

“That should earn some respect,” he said.

Owned by Anthony Fanticola and Joe Scardino, Obviously has won 11 of 23 starts and earned $1,487,751. This could be the fourth consecutive year in which Obviously has started in the BC Mile. An Irish-bred, Obviously was third in the 2012 BC Mile and fifth in each of the last two years.

D’Amato said Obviously could be cross-entered in the BC Turf Sprint in the event that a start in the BC Mile is doubtful.