Nyquist’s Johannes Punches Breeders’ Cup Ticket with City of Hope Win

[Wandering Eyes]

Johannes capped off a four-race win streak in 2024 when winning last year's renewal of the GII City of Hope Stakes before enduring a tough beat at the hooves of More Than Looks in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar in November. With only a single prior race under his belt in 2025, the 5-year-old set the stage for his return to the World Championships at the seaside oval with a gutsy victory over Cabo Spirit in the “Win and You're In' qualifier for the Mile on Nov. 1.

Braking from post 3, the dark bay settled in fourth as longshot Zio Jo (Nyquist) led Final Boss (American Pharoah) and Cabo Spirit through an initial quarter in :22.70. Still unhurried through a half in :47.47, Johannes started to pick up the tempo as Cabo Spirit took over approaching the far turn. Swinging out several paths wide as Cabo Spirit also took the overland route, Johannes wore down the game Cabo Spirit midstretch and drew off post a back-to-back victory in the City of Hope. Cabo Spirit just held off the late-running Almendares at the wire. The victory marked Johannes's eighth win in Arcadia in as many starts.

“The pace was slow, but I didn't want to take any chances to go on the inside,” said winning jockey Umberto Rispoli. “The speed map for me today was different. Mike [Smith, Cabo Spirit] is a smart rider and I wanted to sit behind Cabo… I had to decide what to do based on what the guy in front is doing. Johannes won with minimum effort and we got the job done.”

“The horse didn't look exhausted in the Winner's Circle,” said winning trainer Tim Yakteen. “He wasn't blowing and he's got the flow going.”

Asked about the plan for the repeat winner, Yakteen said, “Five weeks is great timing. We'll do a couple of maintenance drills and one other work and we'll be ready to go. This horse is a trainer's dream. He makes the whole team look good.”

Joe and Debby McCloskey | Benoit Photo

Posting a near-impeccable record in 2024, the CUYATHY homebred won five times, all at the graded level, registering his most important win in the GI Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita. Following his narrow defeat on Breeders' Cup Day, the son of Nyquist rebounded to take the nine-furlong GII San Gabriel Stakes on Dec. 26. Given plenty of time for his return, Johannes was favored for Saratoga's Fourstardave Stakes on Aug. 2, but never got into the mix of things and had to settle for ninth that day.

The Kentucky-bred is trained by Tim Yakteen on behalf of CUYATHY LLC, named after the first horse purchased by the California-based Joe and Debby McCloskey. Joe McCloskey is the retired CEO of Specialty Foods Group.

“We couldn't ask for anything more from him. I mean eight for eight, it's huge,” said Joe McCloskey. “We look forward now to going to the Breeders' Cup and this stage in the game, he is doing what he needs to be doing.”

 

Pedigree Notes:
Johannes is the first foal out of Cuyathy, the namesake of the McCloskey's racing and breeding operation. The mare, a $50,000 Keeneland September graduate in 2014, followed up with MSW Sea Dancer (Mastery) before producing SP Sea Runner (Gun Runner). Also trained by Yakteen, the 12-year-old mare's juvenile filly Soaring Angel (Knicks Go) won on debut at Del Mar last July. More recently, she dropped a Maxfield colt this season and was bred back to Nyquist.

 

Saturday, Santa Anita
CITY OF HOPE MILE S.-GII, $200,500, Santa Anita, 9-27, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.13, fm.
1–JOHANNES, 124, h, 5, by Nyquist
              1st Dam: Cuyathy (SP, $107,923), by Congrats
              2nd Dam: Dance Darling, by Devil's Bag
              3rd Dam: Danzig Darling, by Danzig
O/B-Cuyathy, LLC (KY); T-Tim Yakteen; J-Umberto Rispoli.
$120,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 15-9-1-1, $1,278,359.
*1/2 to Sea Dancer (Mastery), MSW, $275,595. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Cabo Spirit, 124, 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. $40,000.
3–Almendares (GB), 122, g, 5, Havana Grey (GB)–Glace (Ire),
by Verglas (Ire). (16,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 14,000gns Ylg '21
TATOCT). O-CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz,
Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano; B-D. R. TUCKER (GB);
T-Philip D'Amato. $24,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HD, 3/4. Odds: 0.20, 8.00, 6.50.
Also Ran: Zio Jo, Scoobie Quando, Final Boss. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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