COMEBACKING ROYAL SHIP FACES TOUGH COMPETITION AS FIELD OF EIGHT SET FOR $75,000 JOHN SHEAR MILE
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 7, 2022)–Richard Mandella’s classy Brazilian-bred Royal Ship will try to overcome a near-eight month layoff as he heads a tough field of eight older horses in Sunday’s $75,000 John Shear Mile.
A winner of last year’s Grade II Californian Stakes on April 17, a race in which he outran eventual $12 Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer, Royal Ship has been idle since well beaten at 5-2 in the Grade I Pacific Classic at Del Mar Aug. 21.
A 6-year-old gelding by Midshipman, Royal Ship, who followed his Californian win with a narrow second place effort behind Country Grammer in the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup May 31, was then third, beaten 1 ¼ lengths by eventual Santa Anita Handicap winner Express Train in the Grade II San Diego Handicap July 17.
Owned by Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm, LLC, Royal Ship will be ridden back by Mike Smith, who has been aboard for all eight of his stateside starts. A Group I winner in Brazil at age four and a winner of five out of his six starts there, Royal Ship is 15-6-2-3 overall with earnings of $293,805.
Another prominent contender on the comeback trail is Defunded, who has been away since galloping by 8 ¾ lengths in a first condition allowance going a mile and one sixteenth on Aug. 8 at Del Mar. A Bob Baffert alum currently trained by Sean McCarthy, Defunded has a solid pattern of works for his return both at Los Alamitos and Santa Anita.
Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Defunded is a 4-year-old gelding by Dialed In out of the Touch Gold mare Wind Caper. A well beaten fourth in his third start, the Grade I Runhappy Santa Anita Derby a year ago, he was second, beaten a nose as the 3-5 favorite two starts back in the Grade II Los Alamitos Derby on July 4.
With regular rider Abel Cedillo back aboard, Defunded should be very tough as a fresh horse trying a mile for the second time in his career. With an overall mark of 7-2-2-1, he has earnings of $213,900.
McCarthy will also send out Triple Tap, who disappointed in his final start with Baffert by running third, beaten one length at odds of 1-5 in a seven furlong allowance here Feb. 27. A late bloomer, Triple Tap, a 4-year-old colt by Tapit out of the Yankee Gentleman mare Littleprincessemma, Triple Tap was fourth, beaten 18 ¾ lengths by super sprinter Flightline two starts back in the Grade I Malibu Stakes Dec. 26.
An impressive winner of his first two starts, both sprints, Triple Tap was a first-out maiden winner going seven furlongs on March 13 of last year and came back off a ninth month vacation to drill eight rivals by 2 ¼ lengths in a first condition allowance going six furlongs on Nov. 5 at Del Mar.
Owned and bred by Summer Wind Equine, Triple Tap has four bullet works on his tab for his return as he bids for his first stakes win in what will be his fifth career start with Juan Hernandez up for the first time.
Idle since running third by 6 ½ lengths to top colt Life Is Good in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 6 at Del Mar, the Val Brinkerhoff-trained Restrainedvengence has been a remarkable story for his connections, compiling earnings of $1,007,682 from an overall mark of 35-10-4-4.
A 7-year-old gelding by the Giant’s Causeway stallion Hold Me Back, Restrainedvengence has won eight stakes, on dirt, turf and synthetic while racing at a total of eight different tracks from Seattle to Charlestown to Albuquerque to El Paso (Sunland Park, NM) to Hobbs (NM) to San Francisco, San Diego and Arcadia.
Owned by Kelly Brinkerhoff and Bob Grayson, Jr., Restrainedvengence, who has six recorded drills for his return, would appear to be in need of a race but must be respected with Edwin Maldonado up.
THE $75,000 JOHN SHEAR MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT
- Defunded–Abel Cedillo–120
- Triple Tap–Juan Hernandez–120
- Shooters Shoot–Joe Bravo–120
- Royal Ship–Mike Smith–124
- Affable–Diego Herrera–120
- Restrainedvengence–Edwin Maldonado–124
- Lambeau–Victor Espinoza–122
- Extra Hope–Tyler Baze–124
First post time for a 10-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.
