Santa Anita: Obviously wins Arroyo Seco Mile; Breeders’ Cup Mile may be next

ARCADIA, Calif. – Obviously keeps winning major turf mile stakes in Southern California and keeps getting closer to a start in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3.

Saturday, the 4-year-old gelding won his second consecutive Grade 2 race for turf milers in the $150,000 Arroyo Seco Mile at Santa Anita, the local prep for the BC Mile.

Ridden by Joe Talamo, Obviously ran a mile in 1:31.95, finishing just .06 of a second slower than Atticus’s 1997 course record of 1:31.89. Obviously paid $4.40.

Trailblazer, a Japanese shipper who had not started since May, finished second, a half-length in front of Mr. Commons.

The win by Obviously left Talamo enthused about the BC Mile.

“He’s got the highest cruising speed of any horse I’ve ever ridden,” Talamo said.

“For him to quicken like that in the last furlong is amazing. He keeps on surprising me with how fast he’s going.”

Obviously led by as much as 2 1/2 lengths on the backstretch, setting early fractions of 23.05 and 45.86 seconds. He led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining, an advantage that diminished to a half-length at the wire.

Owned by Anthony Fanticola and Joe Scardino, Obviously won the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile in course-record time (1:32.10) on Aug. 26, leading by as much as five lengths midway through the race. Trainer Mike Mitchell said that the style of Saturday’s win reassured him that Obviously is not just a speed-crazy runner who must tear away from his rivals to maintain his lead in the stretch.

“They went quick, but the first couple of fractions they slowed it down,” Mitchell said. “I don’t think he has to be 10 or 15 lengths in front to win.”

Obviously must be nominated to the BC Mile by Oct. 22, a decision that was clinched by the win Saturday.

“He needed to perform like this to consider the Breeders’ Cup,” Mitchell said.