Southern California's intermediate distance turf division was tremendously entertaining last year, but there's a new face on the scene this season -- Kip Deville, the upset winner by a neck over the closing Bayeux in the $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (gr. IT) on the Santa Anita lawn Saturday.
The Oklahoma-bred 4-year-old Kip Deville, owned by IEAH Stables, Dan Borislow, Andrew Cohen, et al, and trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., earned his first grade I win and his second graded stakes victory at one mile during the current meeting. He won the Sir Beaufort (gr. IIIT) on Dec. 26.
Kip Deville provided the 47-year-old Dutrow, the conditioner of 2005 Horse of the Year Saint Liam, with his 1,000th lifetime victory.
They went slow early and fast late but Kip Deville, ridden by Richard Migliore, was always close after overcoming a bump at the start. Fast Parade forced his way to the early lead but fought jockey Victor Espinoza on the front end as they set so-so fractions of :23 4/5 and :48. Silent Name, also keen early for jockey Corey Nakatani, made an early move on the turn and hit the stretch in command after six furlongs in 1:11. But Kip Deville, racing just off the leaders in third after the half-mile pole, rallied up three wide on the outside, taking the lead leaving the eighth pole and finishing powerfully in a solid time of 1:33 4/5. They ran the final quarter-mile in :22 4/5.
“They went a little slower than I thought they would early, but my horse relaxed well and I was happy with my position," Migliore explained. "I thought Corey did a great job getting (Silent Name) to settle as well as he did, but I still thought I was going to be able to get by him fairly easily. As you saw though, his horse really fought back and when we got by him, I knew there was somebody else coming on the outside. My horse was really game to hold the lead like he did.”
Bayeux, saddled with the outside post in the field of 12, rallied impressively from seventh in the stretch under Julien Leparoux to nose the Japanese-bred Silent Name for second. The late-running French-bred Porto Santo took fourth. Charmo, the lukewarm favorite at 3-1 in the field of 12, was not a factor, finishing seventh.
A confirmed front-runner earlier in his career, Dutrow has been able to get Kip Deville, a gray son of Kipling --Klondike Kaytie (Encino), to relax in his recent races. Kip Deville has won five of six starts at one mile on the turf and is perfect in two tries on Santa Anita sod. Overall, he has won seven of 15 races with earnings of $648,642. Center Hills Farm bred the winner.
“The horse trained beautifully up to the race and Richard gave him a great ride," said Michelle Nevin, assistant to Dutrow, stayed in New York Saturday. "It looks like his favorite trip is a mile.”
Kip Deville paid $20.20, $9.80 and $6.20. Bayeux, coming a nose defeat to multiple grade I winner Sweet Return in the Thunder Road Handicap in his last start Feb. 3, returned $8.20 and $4.80. Silent Name, in his first start since a sixth-place finish in the Citation Handicap (gr. IT) on the Hollywood Park grass Nov. 24, was $4.80 to show as the 119-pound high weight.
It was 1 1/4 lengths back to Porto Santo, who was followed by 2006 Kilroe Mile winner Milk It Mick, After Market, Charmo, Three Valleys, Boule d'Or, Fast Parade, Terroplane and Grafton.
(Chart, Equibase)
Kip Deville gets a neck in front of Bayeux for an upset victory in the Kilroe Mile.
