Recent Rivals for King of Gosford in City of Hope Mile

After delivering one of the most exciting finishes of this year's racing season, the top four finishers from last month's Del Mar Mile Stakes (G2T), led by winner King of Gosford will meet again Sept. 26 in the City of Hope Mile Stakes (G1T) on the Santa Anita Park turf.

In the Aug. 22 Del Mar Mile, Kong of Gosford rallied from fourth to edge runner-up Detain by a head. In that race completed by King of Gosford in 1:34.22 on firm turf, it would be another neck back to third-place El Potente and just another neck back to early leader Cabo Spirit holding fourth.

All four of those runners are entered again Saturday.

The victory in the $200,000 Del Mar Mile wrapped up a successful meeting for Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig, and Jeremy Peskoff's King of Gosford. The 5-year-old son of Zoustar (AUS) also has enjoyed success at Santa Anita, where he has won a pair of graded stakes including the 2025 Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T).

Umberto Ripoli, who was aboard for both stakes wins at Del Mar, has the mount again Saturday for Phil D'Amato-trained King of Gosford.

Saturday's runners will have a chance to secure a fees-paid start in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) as the City of Hope is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race. The City of Hope Mile will be offered as the third race on the card, with a scheduled post time of 2 p.m. PT.

Eddie D Stakes Preview

Strong finisher Sorrento Sky will try to secure a second straight graded stakes win sprinting on the turf when he stretches out to a 6 1/2-furlong sprint down the hill in the $200,000 Eddie D Stakes (G2T).

While Sorrento Sky, who has a similar ownership team to King of Gosford, won his first two starts sprinting on the hillside course, he has since dropped four straight graded stakes over the route. He enters off a victory in the Green Flash Handicap (G2T) Aug. 22 on the Del Mar turf, with Rispoli up.

The field includes 2024 Eddie D winner First Peace, who in June finished third in the Daytona Stakes (G3T) over the same route. Trained by Mark Glatt, the 6-year-old son of Funtastic enters off a third-place finish in a one-mile allowance-optional claiming race Aug. 22 on the Del Mar turf.

John C. Harris Stakes Preview

Saturday's card also will see 3-year-old fillies sprinting on the hillside course in the $100,000 John C. Harris Stakes (G3T) where Spendthrift Farm homebred Brave Deb will make her seasonal debut.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Brave Deb won last year's Surfer Girl Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita before an off-the-board finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes (G1T) to close out the season.

Entries: City of Hope Mile S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, September 26, 2026, Race 3

• Grade IIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 2:06 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Teao (CHI)	Paco Lopez	126	John W. Sadler	6/1
2	2El Potente (FL)	Hector Isaac Berrios	124	Dan Blacker	9/5
3	3Cabo Spirit (KY)	Mike E. Smith	124	George Papaprodromou	6/1
4	4Detain (IRE)	Juan J. Hernandez	122	Michael W. McCarthy	8/1
5	5Irish Aces (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Brendan P. Walsh	6/1
6	6King of Gosford (GB)	Umberto Rispoli	126	Philip D'Amato	8/5

Entries: Eddie D S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, September 26, 2026, Race 5

• Grade II
• About 6 1/2f
• Downhill turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:10 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Sumter (KY)	Mike E. Smith	124	Richard E. Mandella	6/1
2	2Later Than Planned (IRE)	Hector Isaac Berrios	118	Philip D'Amato	12/1
3	3Freedom's Not Free (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	124	Mark Glatt	6/1
4	4Amorita (KY)	Kazushi Kimura	119	Richard E. Mandella	20/1
5	5Nesso's Lastharrah (FL)	Emisael Jaramillo	122	Jeff Bonde	20/1
6	6Sorrento Sky (IRE)	Umberto Rispoli	126	Philip D'Amato	5/2
7	7Pure Madness (CA)	Armando Ayuso	122	Brian J. Koriner	3/1
8	8First Peace (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Mark Glatt	5/1
9	9Virat (KY)	Paco Lopez	122	Dan Blacker	8/1

Entries: John C. Harris S. (G3T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, September 26, 2026, Race 9

• Grade III
• About 6 1/2f
• Downhill turf
• $100,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 5:10 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Mo' Em Down (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	120	Peter Miller	6/1
2	2Seeking Attention (KY)	Armando Ayuso	120	Peter Eurton	20/1
3	3Brave Deb (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Richard E. Mandella	8/1
4	4Yours Sincerely (IRE)	Umberto Rispoli	120	Philip D'Amato	5/2
5	5R Slew of Cash (KY)	Edwin Gonzalez	120	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	20/1
6	6Surfin' U. S. A. (KY)	Kazushi Kimura	120	Leonard Powell	30/1
7	7Come On Om (CA)	Tyler Baze	120	Sean McCarthy	20/1
8	8Day to Day (VA)	Paco Lopez	122	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	10/1
9	9Run With Liberty (CA)	Kyle Frey	120	Jeff Mullins	15/1
10	10Little Opal (KY)	Emisael Jaramillo	120	Doug F. O'Neill	3/2