FAVORED COUNT AGAIN FINISHES LIKE A ROCKET TO WIN GRADE I, $500,000 FRANK E. KILROE MILE BY A HEAD AS PRAT & D’AMATO TEAM ON TURF IN 1:33.24

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 5, 2022)–In a tremendous finish that had an international flavor to it, Ontario, Canadian-bred Count Again flew the final furlong to touch English-bred Space Traveller on the money, winning Saturday’s Grade I, $500,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile by a head under Flavien Prat.  Trained by Phil D’Amato, 7-year-old gelding Count Again got the mile on turf in 1:33.24.

With Victor Espinoza and Beyond Brilliant setting fast early fractions, Count Again had two horses beat while about eight lengths off the lead at the rail heading to the far turn.  Straightening for home, French native Prat angled out three deep and with six lengths to make up in the final furlong was able to overhaul English-based Jamie Spencer and Space Traveller.

“I definitely loved the fractions (they) were running,” said D’Amato, who bagged his second stakes win on the day.  “I was just hoping we would get loose and to be able to come with a run.  This horse like to just come with a big, wide, late run and were stuck in there, but this is why this guy (Prat) is the top jock…He cut the turn, angled out and got the job done at the wire.

“(Count Again is) just one of those dream kind of horses.  You know if you have dead aim at the top of the lane with him, he’s going to give you his late kick pretty much every time.  He’s just a fresh, happy horse now and Flavien fits him well.”

A winner of the Grade III Thunder Road Stakes at one mile on turf here Feb. 5, Count Again, who is by Awesome Again and is out of the Red Ransom mare Count to Three, was off as the 2-1 favorite in a field of 11 older horses and paid $6.60, $4.00 and $2.80.

“It took him a little bit to get going, but once he did, he did well,” said Prat, who bagged his third stakes winner of the day.  “He got himself into the race and the pace was pretty hot.  I was traveling super well and I thought I was behind a good horse (Space Traveller).  I was able to track him all the way.  Once I got to the outside, I was able to run him down.”

It was a heart-breaking defeat for Space Traveller, who hit the front about 20 yards from the finish only to be caught.  A 6-year-old full horse trained by Brendan Walsh, he was off at 3-1 and paid $3.80 and $2.60 while finishing a head better than Subconscious.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez and trained by Richard Mandella, Subconscious was full of run at the rail around the far turn, waited for room at the top of the lane and just missed.

Off at 3-1, he paid $3.40 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.46, 45.45, 1:09.38 and 1:21.28.