Ascending El Potente, Grade I Winner Formidable Man And Mi Hermano Ramon Lead A Competitive Field Lined Up For Saturday’s Grade I, Frank E. Kilroe Mile

Santa Anita Pressbox —-

My Way Racing’s El Potente and jockey Hector I. Berrios win the Grade III $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes Saturday, February 1, 2025 at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA.
Benoit Photo

ARCADIA, CA (Feb. 24, 2025)— El Potente, who served notice with a dominant win in the GIII Thunder Road earlier this month at Santa Anita, is part of a deep field of eight older turf horses signed on for the Grade I, $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Saturday at Santa Anita.

Trained by Dan Blacker, El Potente drew off to win the one-mile Thunder Road by three lengths on Feb. 1, which earned a field-high 104 Beyer Speed Figure. It was also the first stakes win for the consistent 6-year-old Temple City horse. Since being transferred to Blacker in 2022, El Potente has never missed the board in 10 starts and on turf is 5-2-1 in nine starts.

El Potente is owned by My Way Racing and will be ridden by Hector Berrios, who was also aboard for the Thunder Road. His overall record is 14: 6-2-2 with $248,796 in earnings.

Grade I winner Formidable Man and Mi Hermano Ramon both exit the Grade I Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park.

Mi Hermano Ramon, trained by Mark Glatt, was fourth beaten 2 ½ lengths in the Pegasus. Prior to that, the 5-year-old gelding by Creative Cause won the GII Seabiscuit at Del Mar in November and was second by three-quarters of a length to Johannes, a finalist for champion turf horse last year, in the GII San Gabriel in December at Santa Anita.

Mi Hermano Ramon is 11: 4-2-1 with $402,980 in earnings for owner Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners or Red Baron’s Barn LLC. He will have top rider Flavien Prat in the irons.

Formidable Man, trained by Michael McCarthy, set the pace in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus before fading to last in a 12-horse field. The 4-year-old City of Light colt previously won the GI Hollywood Derby in November and GII Del Mar Derby in September, both at Del Mar.

Owned by William K. Warren Jr. and Suzanne Warren, Formidable Man is 11: 5-2-0 with $637,425 in earnings. He will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli.

The Kilroe Mile is one four graded stakes on a blockbuster card Saturday at The Great Race Place. It will be joined by GI Santa Anita Handicap, GII DK San Felipe for 3-year-olds on the Kentucky Derby trail and the GII Buena Vista for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.

THE GI FRANK E. KILROE MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN

POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 11 – Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Mi Hermano Ramon—Flavien Prat—122
Air Force Red—Juan Hernandez—120
El Potente—Hector Berrios—122
Formidable Man—Umberto Rispoli—124
Neat—Jose Ortiz—122
Zio Jo—Kyle Frey—120
Almendares—Antonio Fresu—120
Cabo Spirit—Mike Smooth—122

First post Saturday is 12 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.