By Alan Carasso
About half an hour removed from a stirring victory in the GII San Felipe Stakes with Journalism (Curlin), jockey Umberto Rispoli and trainer Michael McCarthy were right back into the spotlight when Mr. & Mrs. William Warren's Formidable Man (City of Light) closed good ground hard up against the rail and was along in the final strides to add the GI F. E. Kilroe Mile Stakes.
Off at odds of 5-1, the $375,000 Keeneland September yearling–by the sire who gave McCarthy and the Warrens memorable victories in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and in the GI Pegasus World Cup–was getting the blinkers off following a largely forgettable run in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf and settled in mid-division as Cabo Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile) came across from his outside gate to establish a moderate pace up front.
Continuing to skim the rail down the backstretch and into the final three furlongs, the bay colt looked to be traveling well five-sixteenths from home and Rispoli took the decision to ride for luck into the lane. Air Force Red (Air Force Blue), prominent throughout, aided that cause when drifting a bit off the inside and leaving an inviting opening at the three-sixteenths. Still with some work to do entering the final furlong, Rispoli conjured up one final rally from Formidable Man, who drove through in the dying strides for the victory. Pace-pressing Zio Jo (Nyquist) was along for second, while Cabo Spirit held for third.
Formidable Man owned the Jimmy Durante turf course over the summer and and fall, with Rispoli at the controls, winning the restricted Oceanside Stakes in July going a mile before adding the nine-furlong GII Del Mar Derby Sept. 1. First-up for three months in the GI Hollywood Derby Nov. 30, he was along late for a 3/4-length success, but, according to McCarthy, Formidable Man did not deal well with the carnival atmosphere at the Pegasus and had run his race after six furlongs.
Pedigree Notes:
Formidable Man one of two top-level winners for City of Light, joining 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness.
A Grade II winner and Grade I-placed on the turf on the Southern California circuit, Fanticola has thrown four winners from four to the races, with Formidable Man clearly the best of them.
Clear Creek Stud purchased the mare for $60,000 in foal to Flatter at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale and the 3-year-old colt Cc Cola broke her maiden at second asking at Delta Downs Feb. 22. The mare's current 2-year-old, a filly by Knicks Go, was bought back for $97,000 at the Breeders' Sales Company of Louisiana Yearling Sale last September and she is also the dam of a yearling filly by Jack Christopher. Fanticola is due to Clear Creek's Star Guitar for her 2025 produce.
Saturday, Santa Anita Park
FRANK E. KILROE MILE S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 3-1, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.57, fm.
1–FORMIDABLE MAN, 124, c, 4, by City of Light
1st Dam: Fanticola (GSW & GISP, $561,986),
by Silent Name (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Catalina Cat, by Tabasco Cat
3rd Dam: Irish Dear, by Irish River (Fr)
($375,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-William K. Warren, Jr. and Suzanne Warren; B-Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC (KY). T-Michael W. McCarthy; J-Umberto Rispoli. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 12-6-2-0, $817,425. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zio Jo, 120, g, 5, Nyquist–Senorita Corredora, by El Corredor. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($225,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $50,000 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-Joseph A. Navarro; B-Elm Racing, LLC & Mulholland Springs LLC (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $60,000.
3–Cabo Spirit, 122, g, 6, Pioneerof the Nile–Fancy Day (Ire), by Shamardal. ($145,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $575,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Kretz Racing LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-George Papaprodromou. $36,000.
Margins: HF, NK, NO. Odds: 5.10, 23.20, 31.40.
Also Ran: Almendares (GB), Mi Hermano Ramon, Neat, Air Force Red. Scratched: El Potente.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
A tremendous ride from @umbyrispoli gets Formidable Man home to win his second Grade 1 in the Frank E Kilroe Mile 👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/glNWBpuk7s
— Idol Horse (@idolhorsedotcom) March 2, 2025
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