Johannes definitely likes Santa Anita Park and now has extended his reach to Del Mar, and at just the right time.
With Del Mar set to host this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, the dark bay colt trounced an excellent group of graded stakes winners to capture the July 28 Eddie Read Stakes (G2T), his first win at Del Mar and his first at 1 1/8 miles.
Coming off mile turf wins in the American Stakes (G3T) and Shoemaker Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita, Johannes went off as the 11-10 favorite for the Eddie Read. He also had the advantage of his regular jockey, Umberto Rispoli, who has gotten off to a fast start at the Del Mar meeting.
Rispoli has ridden Johannes in all of his wins at Santa Anita, and the two clicked again in the Eddie Read.
Front-running Balladeer went straight to the front when the gate opened, with Johannes tracking him in second. Balladeer set fractions of :24.35 for the first quarter-mile and :48.51 for a half-mile. Johannes sat in a perfect position to take the lead at the top of the stretch, and from there he galloped home an easy 2 1/2-length winner in 1:47.88.
Longshot Dicey Mo Chara , fifth early, closed well for second at 76-1, a half-length in front of Balnikhov , who came from even farther back. They were followed by Master Piece , who got boxed in for a short time in upper stretch, Easter , Du Jour , Gold Phoenix , Balladeer, and There Goes Harvard .
“The pace scenario really worked out well,” said trainer Tim Yakteen. “We were sitting up close, and he’s very push-button. He’s shown his versatility in a number of races.”
Yakteen has trained Johannes ever since the 4-year-old colt’s second start and for all of his races in California. Joe and Debby McCloskey bred and race the 4-year-old son of Nyquist –Cuyathy , by Congrats , in the name of Cuyathy.
Johannes broke his maiden by nine lengths in late 2022, his fourth lifetime start, first on the turf, and first under Rispoli. He followed that with victories in the 2023 Baffle Stakes and Pasadena Stakes. The colt then finished fifth in the 2023 American Turf Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs and received nearly a year off prior to his wins in the American and Shoemaker.
“I think he has really improved physically and mentally,” Rispoli said, “and this is all a credit to Tim and Joe to have such patience with him. After the American Turf, they decided to give him such a long break, and that helped him to develop and become a more mature horse. He’s still a little bit hyper, but I think that’s his character.”
Cuyathy is the first horse that the McCloskeys purchased, buying her for $50,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale. Johannes is the mare’s first foal. Sea Dancer , Cuyathy’s 2021 filly by Mastery , is a winner for the McCloskeys and Yakteen, and the mare has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Gun Runner and a yearling filly by Knicks Go .
Johannes, Randomized , Encino , and Nysos are 2024 graded stakes winners by Nyquist, the champion 2-year-old male of 2015 and winner of the 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1). The stallion’s earlier runners include Eclipse Award champion Vequist , Canadian champion Gretzky the Great , and California-bred champion Slow Down Andy . Nyquist stood the 2024 season for a fee of $85,000 at Darley in Lexington.
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