Prat sets graded stakes record with King of Gosford’s Mathis Mile wire job

Flavien Prat has made it a habit to break records in 2024, and the jockey turned in his latest rewrite of history during Thursday’s opening-day festivities at Santa Anita. By guiding 7-10 favorite King of Gosford to a front-running victory in the $201,000 Mathis Mile (G2), Prat set a new mark of 56 graded stakes wins in a calendar year.

The previous single-season record had stood for two decades, since retired Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey racked up 55 graded stakes scores in 2003.

Prat recognized that the support of his family and equine connections have made his success possible. Thanking the connections of King of Gosford, including co-owner Michael Nentwig and trainer Phil D’Amato, he also graciously recalled that Hall of Fame horseman Richard Mandella backed him in his initial venture to the “Great Race Place.”

“I’m very pleased,” Prat said as he was feted in the winner’s circle. “There are a lot of people behind this. Me, my family, Mike and Phil, have been great supporters of me. And Mr. Mandella, who was great support when I first came here.

“I think there couldn’t be a better place to win it than here at Santa Anita. It is definitely worth all the work when something like this happens.”

King of Gosford was the one to beat in the Mathis Mile for three-year-olds. Not only was he cutting back after his rallying second in the 1 1/8-mile Hollywood Derby (G1), but he also didn’t have to face the streaking winner Formidable Man.

Moreover, King of Gosford had the advantage of tactical speed on the rail. That turned out to be an even more definite plus when the race lost its projected pacesetter, once Curlin’s Kaos was a vet scratch.

Prat accordingly put King of Gosford on the lead through modest splits of :23.24 and :48.04 on the firm turf. Atitlan tried to keep tabs, and upped the ante on the far turn, but King of Gosford shrugged him off. Increasing the tempo passing six furlongs in 1:11.71, the favorite quickened down the stretch to polish off the mile in 1:34.49.

Stay Hot, third for much of the way, outfinished Atitlan by a half-length for runner-up honors. Lord Bullingdon improved position to fourth, trailed by Cathal, Call Sign Seven, and Heart Headed. Siennois was scratched along with Curlin’s Kaos.

“He just took advantage of a nice, comfortable pace scenario,” D’Amato recapped. “Flavien did a great job of nursing him along easily up front, and when it was time to kick on at the top of the lane, showed a big turn of foot.”

In addition to setting the graded stakes mark, Prat was extending another record that he’d recently established – number of single-season stakes wins – to 81. His 80th had come aboard Poster in the Dec. 7 Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct, eclipsing Irad Ortiz Jr.’s record of 79 from 2022. Prat had likewise made history at Saratoga over the summer, when he set a new record for stakes wins during the Spa’s season (18, including a record 14 of them graded events).

King of Gosford’s resume now reads 15-6-2-2, $519,695. The winner of his first three stateside starts, including the April 7 John Shear S. and May 19 Desert Code S. sprinting down the hill, the British-bred suffered a nightmare passage when sixth in the Oceanside S. at Del Mar. King of Gosford turned the page with a second in the La Jolla H. and a third versus older sprinters in the Eddie D (G2). Back up to a mile in the Oct. 31 Let It Ride S., the chestnut rolled by 2 1/4 convincing lengths, and he answered the stamina question with his fine placing in the Hollywood Derby.

“He can do it all,” enthused Nentwig, who co-owns the colt in partnership with Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Saul Gevertz, and Jeremy Peskoff.

“He can run six, 6 1/2 (furlongs), mile, mile and an eighth. When this horse gets out in front, he sticks out his nose and neck, and he doesn’t want to get passed.”

Connections are already plotting a path to the 2025 Breeders’ Cup.

“I'm going to give him a 30-day break,” D’Amato said, “and then we'll, have him ready to go probably April or so, and hopefully campaign towards maybe a Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).”

King of Gosford is by Australian celebrity Zoustar, who is also responsible for reigning Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) hero Starlust. King of Gosford’s dam, Miss Sugars, herself scored her signature win at Santa Anita in the 2016 Blue Norther S. By the Acclamation stallion Harbour Watch, Miss Sugars comes from the family of multiple Grade 1-winning globetrotter Wigmore Hall and Ocean Road, successful in the 2022 Gamely (G1) here.