United gets up late to win John Henry Turf Championship
ARCADIA, Calif. -- A familiar result for the 5-year-old gelding United unfolded in unfamiliar circumstances in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita.
United rallied to win by a nose, but instead of his customary position of stalking the pace, or even holding the lead, United closed from eighth in a field of 12 to win the $203,500 John Henry in the final stride.
The style of the win was different than what jockey Flavien Prat has come to know on a mount he has held regularly since May 2019 over a span of 16 races.
Traffic issues in the opening furlong, when the field crossed from the hillside course across the main track and onto the main turf oval, left United in the back half of the field.
“I thought I’d be a little closer,” Prat said. “I got shuffled back when we crossed the dirt. I wanted to get a quiet spot and I gave up a few lengths.”
United was eighth for the first mile, trailing leader Acclimate by more than 4 1/2 lengths. With a furlong remaining, United trailed Acclimate by more than four lengths. United needed all 220 yards of the final furlong to reach the front, edging Acclimate at the wire.
Sent off favored, United ($4.80) ran 1 1/4 miles in 1:58.41 and earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure. Prat said an outside trip helped United’s rally.
“I could make my move when I wanted to make my move,” he said.
For Prat, the surprise was the margin. United finished outside of 7-1 Acclimate and 9-2 Friar’s Road, who closed from last in the final half-mile to finish third, a nose behind Acclimate.
“It was closer than I thought,” Prat said.
Acclimate, who won the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles on turf here in June, set a solid pace of 22.70 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.32 for a half-mile under jockey Ricky Gonzalez.
“We almost got away with it,” Gonzalez said. “Everything went the way I wanted it to. I got a little breather on the backstretch.”
Award Winner finished fourth, followed by Master Piece, Cupid’s Claws, Red King, Ready Soul, Neptune’s Storm, Count of Amazonia, Camino Del Paraiso, and Media Blitz.
The win likely served as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 6. United was second by a head to eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar in the 2019 BC Turf at Santa Anita, and was eighth last year at Keeneland.
United races for the LNJ Foxwoods Stable of Larry, Nancy, and Jaime Roth and is trained by Richard Mandella. The John Henry Turf Championship was United’s seventh stakes win.
In his 22-race career, United has 10 wins and earnings of $1,813,549.
Prat had three graded stakes wins and four victories total on Saturday’s 11-race card.
Prat’s trio of stakes wins was the fourth time this year he won at least that many stakes on a program. Prat had four stakes wins here on April 3.