River Boyne edges Got Stormy in Kilroe Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – When River Boyne wins, he tends to collect victories in bunches.

In 2018, River Boyne won six of nine starts with two- and three-race winning streaks. Through that year, River Boyne won five stakes.

This year, River Boyne has won two of three starts. The latest was his first-ever Grade 1 win in the $402,500 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Abel Cedillo, River Boyne ($12) closed from fourth on the turn to take the lead in the final furlong, edging even-money favorite Got Stormy by a neck.

“He’s a pretty honest pony,” trainer Jeff Mullins said of the 5-year-old River Boyne.

Mullins credited new jockey Abel Cedillo with giving River Boyne ideal rides in the Kilroe Mile and the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf on Feb. 8. The win in the Thunder Road ended an eight-race losing streak.

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River Boyne was the 5-1 second choice in a field of 10. Cedillo positioned River Boyne in fourth on the inside to early stretch before closing between pacesetter Kingly and Got Stormy, who was always near the front.

“When I saw the favorite move out, I had room inside and I took a chance,” Cedillo said. “This horse is running very good.”

River Boyne was timed in 1:33.88.

Got Stormy, who was second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile here in November, finished a head in front of 8-1 Next Shares, who closed from eighth. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione kept Got Stormy in second for the first six furlongs and led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining.

“We figured we’d be aggressive out of the gate,” Gaffalione said. “I had a ton of horse coming into the stretch. She kicked on and got run down.”

True Valour finished fourth, followed by Frontier Market, Sellwood, Ohio, Kingly, Desert Stone, and Sash.

Cedillo is 2 for 2 on River Boyne, who races for Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal. He gained the mount after River Boyne finished third in the $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Handicap at Turf Paradise on Jan. 11.

Cedillo said he noticed an immediate difference in River Boyne on Saturday, and thought the recent win in the Thunder Road was a benefit.

“When he won [last time], he got a big heart,” Cedillo said. “He’s more excited to run.

“When we broke, he tried to go with the bit. He’s a professional horse.”

River Boyne, an Irish-bred by the Mozart stallion Dandy Man, has won 9 of 24 starts and earned $1,211,918. His stakes wins have ranged at distances from a mile to 1 1/8 miles.