What a View continues ascent in Grade 1 Kilroe Mile victory

ARCADIA, Calif. - What a View is forcing trainer Kenny Black to reevaluate his ability with each start this winter.

A win by What a View in an optional claimer on Dec. 26 led to an initial stakes win in the $251,000 California Cup Turf Classic for state-breds on Jan. 30. Saturday, What a View made the successful jump into graded stakes, scoring an upset win in the $400,345 Frank Kilroe Mile. The Grade 1 Kilroe Mile was the biggest career win for Black and What a View, a 5-year-old gelding.

Black was as much delighted as stunned by the result.

"I didn’t consider winning this race," Black said. "I didn’t have anywhere else to run."

What a View led throughout the Kilroe Mile, holding a four-length advantage with a furlong to go. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, What a View ($14) won by 3 3/4 lengths over Bolo.

What a View was timed in 1:35.57 on a good track that sustained approximately an inch of rain on Friday afternoon. Desormeaux guided What a View to a one-length lead after a quarter-mile in 22.65 seconds. His five rivals were never closer for the rest of the race.

"From the view I had, everyone was going to lead," Desormeaux said. "He loves that. The faster, the better. He’ll run you into the ground.

"He was loaded. I think he enjoyed the softer ground. For him to put up that kind of number on this course, he's a real racehorse."

Bolo, the winner of the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at a mile on turf on Feb. 13, closed from last of six to finish a nose in front of Bal a Bali. Midnight Storm was fourth, followed by Kenjisstorm and Om. Om, a three-time stakes winner in the second half of 2015, was out of contention on the backstretch and was beaten more than 17 lengths.

The stewards conducted an inquiry regarding a bumping incident between Bal a Bali and Midnight Storm in the stretch, but did not change the order of finish.

The race lost a starter when De Treville was withdrawn after falling on his back during warm-ups. De Treville placed in group stakes in France in 2014 and 2015. He was 18-1 when withdrawn.

What a View, a gelding by Vronsky, races for the partnership of Finish Line Racing, Sal and Patsy Berumen and the family of the late Bud Johnston. What a View has won 5 of 11 starts and earned $532,148.

This year, What a View has won $377,500 from his two stakes wins.