Advantage Obviously in the Mile

While the disappointment of the recent retirement of two-time GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile hero Wise Dan (Wiseman’s Ferry) is casting something of a pall over this year’s running, a field of 11 established turfers, including two from overseas, will head to the post Sunday afternoon with a fees-paid berth to the Oct. 31 GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on the line.

The only member of the field with Grade I-winning form on the turf and projected as the lone speed of the race, California invader Obviously (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) looms the proverbial greased pig here. Only out of the top three on four occasions–two of those in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile–since his arrival in the U.S. in 2012. The 7-year-old–who set the pace and held on for third behind Wise Dan in the 2012 Mile–has come to be known for his lethal early speed, running the competition into the ground in races like the GI Shoemaker Mile, where he had Za Approval (Ghostzapper) 3 1/4 lengths behind in second in the 2013 renewal, and proved not for catching in defense of his title at Santa Anita last June. In what may be deemed the ‘worst’ of his 19 starts stateside, Obviously was unprepared for the start in search of a third straight success in the 2014 GII Del Mar Mile H., had to be rushed up and emptied out late to finish fifth. When last seen, the Irish-bred carried a four-length bulge into the final furlong of last year’s Mile–that after clocking six furlongs in 1:08.82–and was swarmed under late, finishing two lengths behind the victorious Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein) in fifth. Obviously was to have had his first run of 2015 in the Del Mar Mile Aug. 22, but came out in favor of this spot, a fact that can only be viewed as a positive.

“He loves to run four or five races a year and just gives you everything he’s got,” said trainer Phil D’Amato, who took over training duties from the late Mike Mitchell in 2014. “He runs great fresh and if he wasn’t training as well as he ever has, if not better, I wouldn’t even consider this off the bench. But he is training like a horse possessed so we’re going to take a shot in a $1-million race and a chance at a ‘Win and You’re In’.”

Joe Talamo, Obviously’s partner for his last 16 appearances, jets in for the ride.

Were he guaranteed to be able to produce some of the figures he’s recorded on the main track, Lea (First Samurai) would be a value play at his morning-line quote of 5-2. The Claiborne/Dilschneider homebred, who posted a career-best when winning the 2014 GI Donn H., was runner-up in that title defense ahead of a good third in the G1 Dubai World Cup at the end of March. A big second in the GI Stephen Foster H. June 13, Lea exits a disappointing sixth to ‘TDN Rising Stars’ Honor Code (A.P. Indy) and recent GI Woodward S. winner Liam’s Map (Unbridled’s Song) in the GI Whitney S. Aug. 8. Trainer Bill Mott, who saddled Geri (Theatrical {Ire}) to win this in 1997, is willing to give his charge a pass for the Whitney.

“He kind of ran up close to a fast pace. I don’t think that helped,” the Hall of Famer suggested. “By the same token, I don’t think he handled the ground that well. I’m giving him that excuse.”

Lea had soild, if not overwhelming turf form, early in his career, winning the GIII Commonwealth Turf in 2012 and finishing second to Wise Dan in the 2013 GII Firecracker H. and third to the dual Horse of the Year in the GII Fourstardave H. while under the care of Al Stall Jr.

The enigmatic Grand Arch (Arch) returns to Toronto to try to improve on his fifth-place effort behind Trade Storm (GB) (Trade Fair {GB}) 12 months back. The bay gelding, who earned his first career graded victory in the GII King Edward S. over this track and distance in June 2014, was sixth in the GI Turf Classic going nine panels at Churchill May 2 and finished a subpar fifth in the July 11 Forbidden Apple S. at Belmont, but bounced back to win the Aug. 15 GII Fourstardave H. at Saratoga. In that event, he held off Ironicus (Distorted Humor), who returned to add the GII Bernard Baruch H. Sept. 7.

A Pennsylvania-bred by Invincible Spirit (Ire), Mr. Owen ships in from France off a victory in the Listed Prix de Tourgeville at Deauville Aug. 4 (video). The lone sophomore in the race–no 3-year-old has ever won this event–is out of Mrs. Lindsay (Theatrical {Ire}), who set a new track record in winning Woodbine’s GI E. P. Taylor S. in 2007 for trainer Francois Rohaut. Mr. Owen, whose dam is a half-sister to GISW Dame Dorothy (Bernardini), is campaigned by Qatar Racing, who sent out the aforementioned Trade Storm to last year’s win.