Photo:

Jon Putman / Eclipse Sportswire

Formidable Man made it a day to remember for trainer Michael McCarthy when rallying under jockey Umberto Rispoli to win the Grade 1, $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf Saturday at Santa Anita.

With last year’s Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar, it was the second top-level victory of Formidable Man’s career. For McCarthy, it was his third graded-stakes win and fourth victory overall on the card Saturday. His earlier wins included the San Felipe (G2) for 3-year-olds with Journalism, who also was ridden by Rispoli, and the Buena Vista (G2) for fillies and mares with Liguria ridden by Flavien Prat going a mile on turf.

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Formidable Man (5-1) settled in mid-pack early along the rail as Cabo Spirit (31-1) went to the lead and set fractions of 23.20, 47.26 and 1:11.70 six furlongs. In the stretch Formidable Man remained behind horses until inside the final furlong. At that point the 4-year-old City of Light colt pinned his ears and launched an explosive inside bid along the rail to surge past the field.

Formidable Man most recently finished last after setting the pace in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25. In the Kilroe, the blinkers Formidable Man wore in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus Turf were removed.

“A lot of things got wound up in Florida,” McCarthy said. “A lot of music, a lot of things going on Pegasus day. A little bit of a sensory overload for him. We thought he was finishing his races well enough that blinkers would make little to no difference anymore.”

Formidable Man prevailed by a half-length over Zio Jo (23-1), who edged Cabo Spirit by a neck for second. The winning time on the firm turf was 1:34.57.

“I needed a lot of luck when there were a lot of horses ahead of me,” Rispoli said.

As for McCarthy, he said he was “a little bit anxious” with the cut back to a mile for Formidable Man.

“The horse has been good at a mile-and-an-eighth. … All credit goes to Umberto,” McCarthy said. “He was patient, sat a pocket trip and looked for a seam. That is what top riders do.”

Formidable Man improved to 12: 6-2-0 with $817,425 in earnings for owners William and Suzanne Warren. He paid $12.20, $6.80 and $5.20. Zio Jo, ridden by Kyle Frey for trainer Doug O’Neill, returned $17.80 and $9.80. Cabo Spirit, with Mike Smith up for trainer George Papaprodromou paid $12.40 to show.

Liguria goes from worst to 1st in Buena Vista

Making her second start following a 15 1/2-month layoff, Liguria rallied from last under Prat and won the $200,000 Buena Vista (G2) for older fillies and mares going a mile on turf.

Sent off the 9-2 fourth choice in a six-horse field, Liguria settled at the back of the pack as 39-1 long shot Omaha Girl sped to the early lead. Omaha Girl, ridden by Tyler Baze, was eight lengths in front when reaching the half-mile pole in 45.37 seconds.

Omaha Girl continued to lead at the quarter pole, reached in 1:10.18, but soon afterward was collared by Tirupati (7-2) and jockey Jose Ortiz. Triupati led inside the final furlong, but Liguria was rallying along the inside. She surged past a game Tirupati in the late going to win by a head. Post-time favorite Rashmi (1-1) was another neck back in third with Uncorked (3-1) completing the superfecta.

“I wanted to be a little closer but just couldn’t keep up,” Prat said. “I felt like the pace was pretty strong. … I was able to stay on the rail and save ground. She made an amazing run at the end.”

Trained by McCarthy, Liguria won with a time of 1:34.31.

Liguria had been trained by Chad Brown while based in the east, where she was a stakes winner before hitting the sidelines in October 2023. She resurfaced from the lengthy layoff Feb. 1, racing for McCarthy in the Megahertz (G3) going a mile on turf at Santa Anita. That day she mounted a mild rally under Umberto Rispoli to finish third, three lengths behind winner Rashmi.

“I thought her first race back was very good, maybe a touch further back than I would have liked,” McCarthy said of the Megahertz. “It turned out it was basically the same thing today. Flavien was able to find a seam at the rail and get the job done. She is a quality filly. Her resume spoke volumes when she came here. I’m just glad we were able to get her in form and hopefully keep her there for a while.”

A 5-year-old War Front mare, Liguria is owned by Alpha Delta Racing Stables. She improved to 10: 4-1-1 with $374,200 in earnings. When trained by Brown, Liguria won the Wild Applause Stakes at Belmont Park in June 2023.

Liguria paid $11.40, $4.20 and $2.60 on Saturday. Tirupati, trained by Jonathan Thomas, returned $3.80 and $2.20. Rashmi, also trained by Thomas, paid $2.10.