Johannes stamped himself as a horse to watch in the turf mile division with an explosive win in the $100,000 American Stakes (G3T) April 4 at Santa Anita Park.
The 4-year-old Nyquist colt was making his first start since a troubled fifth-place finish in the American Turf (G2) at Churchill Downs on May 6, 2023. Back on his familiar Southern California turf, Johannes and jockey Umberto Rispoli stalked from third place on the inside as leader Air Force Red stretched the field out with fractions of :21.85, :44.98, and 1:08.57.
Rispoli guided Johannes off the fence and surged to the lead just inside the eighth pole. He stopped the timer in 1:32.08 for the mile over a firm turf. The time was .39 of a second off the course record, set by Vyjack in the 2016 City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2)
Rispoli, born in Italy, sent a kiss toward the sky after he crossed the wire. He later said it was for his friend Stefano Cherchi, a 23-year-old Sardinian-born jockey who died after a fall in Australia.
Johannes, who won by 1 3/4 lengths, paid $4.60 to win as the favorite. Doubledown Stables grade 3 winner War At Sea finished second. It was another half-length back to Ramon S. Bass and Perry R. Bass II’s Sumter in third.
Johannes improved his record to 4-0-1 from eight starts, with earnings of $243,859. He has been excellent since moving to turf in the final start of his 2-year-old season, which resulted in a nine-length maiden score at Santa Anita on Dec. 31, 2022.
Johannes won the 6 1/2-furlong Baffle Stakes in his 3-year-old debut, then stretched out to a mile and won the Pasadena Stakes by 3 1/2 widening lengths. That performance was good enough for trainer Tim Yakteen to send Johannes to Kentucky to compete in the 2023 American Turf on Kentucky Derby Day. Johannes found himself on unfamiliar ground, 13th and last midway through the race. He rallied through traffic to finish fifth, beaten just two lengths by Webslinger .
Johannes was bred in Kentucky by his owners, Joe and Debby McCloskey, who breed and race under the name Cuyathy. That is also the name of Johannes’ dam, the stakes-placed Congrats mare Cuyathy.
Johannes is the 12th graded black type winner for Nyquist, who stands at Darley in Lexington for a fee of $85,000.
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