Obviously the obvious choice in Shoemaker Mile

Obviously received a celebratory pat from jockey Joe Talamo following his Shoemaker Mile win (Benoit Photos) Anthony Fanticola and Joseph Scardino’s Obviously added a Grade 1 win to his resume and punched his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November after easily taking the Grade 1, $300,000 Shoemaker Mile wire-to-wire on Saturday at Hollywood Park, which was a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” race. The 1-5 heavy favorite had good early speed breaking from the outside post and angled in on the first turn to post an opening quarter in :23 along the rail. Obviously ran the half-mile in :46 1/5 while building up a five-length lead at that point. “It’s funny, the first time I routed this horse (a five-length victory last August 2 at Del Mar), I didn’t tell (jockey Joe Talamo) anything,” trainer Mike Mitchell said. “He opened up five or 10 lengths down the backside and I was ready to strangle him when he came back. Then, at the eighth-pole, I said, ‘God, I love that kid.’ That’s just the way he likes to run, so I never give any instructions.” Talamo seemed to give Obviously a breather as the field closed the gap around the second turn but no one would get closer than two lengths as he turned it back up a notch and slowly started to pull away again. The rest of the field was no match for the five-year-old gelding, who drew away in the stretch under some left-hand urging to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

“He is just an unbelievable horse,” Talamo said. “He did everything today
pretty much as the way we planned. We were cruising early and he kicked away
nicely. He gave me the same feeling he always does. He knows his job and knows
very well what he has to do.”

Obviously stopped the clock in 1:32 4/5 for the one-mile test over the firm
turf.

Za Approval got up for second, while Wilkinson finished another 1 1/4 lengths
back in third. Last year’s winner of the race, Jeranimo, wound up in fourth and
Lucayan brought up the rear.

Obviously paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10 to his backers and now sports a career
line of 15-8-4-2, $848,347.

The bay was initially trained by Peter Fahey in Ireland, where he raced three
times, all at seven furlongs. Sixth after rearing up at the start of his career
debut at Gowran last summer, he won his next pair, a maiden at Cork and a
handicap over the Polytrack at Dundalk. The smart prospect then sold for
$217,635 at the 2011 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and arrived in
Southern California for 2012. After just missing in his American debut in a
downhill sprint at Santa Anita, he scored narrowly over the same about 6
1/2-furlong course. Obviously placed in his ensuing three sprint attempts at
Hollywood Park, most notably in the Cool Frenchy over the Cushion Track and in
the Robert K. Kerlan Memorial on turf.

Mitchell subsequently stretched him out to a mile for an optional claimer at
Del Mar, and Obviously was a revelation, romping by five lengths in near
course-record time. That was the beginning of a three-race winning streak. Back
over the same course and distance in the August 26 Del Mar Mile, he just held
from Mr. Commons, and broke the course record by blitzing in 1:32. Obviously
completed the hat trick in the October 6 Arroyo Seco Mile at Santa Anita in his
start prior to the Breeders’ Cup Mile, where he finished third to Horse of
the Year Wise Dan and champion Animal Kingdom.

Reverting to a turf sprint for his comeback in the April 20 San Simeon at
Santa Anita, Obviously set scorching fractions, and was still clear in
midstretch, only to be collared by Chips All In in the final strides. He was
back in his element at a mile in the American Handicap last month, taking the
race wire-to-wire.

The likely next stop for Obviously is the Grade 2, $200,000 Del Mar Mile on August 25,
where he will try to defend his title after winning last year’s running by a
nose over Mr. Commons.

“The main goal is to run back in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, I turned him out
last year for no problems at all, just to freshen him,” Mitchell stated. “He’s
razor sharp right now. He’s training so well and he looks so good. I think he’s
better than last year. He’s stronger and a little bit more filled out.”

It was the 900th win for Mitchell at Hollywood. He is now only second behind
the late Bobby Frankel, who won 952 races at the track during his Hall of Fame
career.

“It’s great to get 900 wins, especially in a race like this,” Mitchell said.

The son of sprint supremo Choisir gets some stamina from his dam, Leala, an
unraced daughter of Montjeu. His second dam, the unraced Silver Hawk mare Silver
Bubble, is a full sister to multiple Grade 1 star Hawkster, who set a new world
record of 2:22 4/5 for 1 1/2 miles on turf; U.A.E. highweight older stayer
Lightning Arrow; Group 1-placed French stakes victor Silver Kite; and French
Group 3 queen Silver Lane, whose progeny include Japanese Grade 1 scorers Black
Hawk and Pink Cameo.

Bred by Deidre Cogan in Ireland, Obviously was a bargain $2,578 yearling
purchase at Goffs February.

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