First tied to Joe and Debby McCloskey’s first racehorse, Cuyathy Just come.
The residents of Del Mar, California race under the name Cuyathy, a business named after their first racehorse—a daughter of Congratulations named Cuyathy that they purchased for $50,000 at the Sale annual September 2014 at Keeneland.
After becoming a stakes winner for nearly $108,000, the McCloskeys bred Cuyathy to Darley Stallions’ Nyquistist and there was a maroon or brown colt that they named Johannes . The thoroughbred colt now trained by Tim Yakteen became their first graded stakes winner in the April 4 American Stakes (G3T) and then topped grade 1 win May 27 in the $303,000 Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita Park.
Johannes, one of three 4-year-olds in the field, is the second choice at 2-1 alongside this year’s Frank E. Kilroe Stakes (G1T) winner Du Jour , (also 2-1 but partial favorite) trained by Bob Baffert and co-owned by Jill Baffert and Debbie Lanni. Umberto Rispoli stalked Johannes, allowing the expected pace-setter Goliad to lead the field through opening scores of :45.50 and 1:09.20.
Goliad will be closely watched by Three Chimneys Farm Happy again with Frankie Dettori in the saddle, and together they took the lead at the start of the stretch but were quickly joined by Johannes. The two were neck and neck in the final eighth furlong, with Johannes pulling away to win by half a length. Du Jour, coming through the final turn, rallied to finish third.
“It was amazing. I beat my idol,” said Rispoli, 35, who, like Dettori, is from Italy and two races previously won the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes above. Anisette . “I have so much respect for Frankie. To have a second Gamely and Shoemaker Mile on the same day is just a dream come true.”
Johannes made his first two starts on dirt as a 2-year-old in 2022, both losses. After being converted to turf, he lost only once in six starts.
“He showed talent from the beginning but to develop into this,” Yakteen said. I didn’t expect it from the beginning but I’m very grateful and appreciative of him.”
Last time on April 4 at Santa Anita, Johannes returned from a nearly 11-month layoff and won the American Stakes over a mile on turf. Last year, he won the hillside sprint Baffle Stakes and the one-mile Pasadena Stakes before suffering his only loss on turf at Churchill Downs in the American Turf Stakes (G2T) on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
Johannes has an overall record of 5-0-1 in nine starts with earnings of $423,859.
Cuyathy, who started mostly with trainer William Morey, won three races and was third in the 2018 Kalookan Queen Stakes at Santa Anita. She is out of the Devil’s Bag Dance Darling mare, being a half-sister to graded stakes winner Misnomer (Miswaki) and stakes winner Darling Danzig. Cuyathy is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Join in the Dance (Sky Mesa) and multiple stakes producer Bronxgirl (Corinthian).
As a stallion, Cuyathy has a winning 3-year-old colt. Own named Sea Dancer and has a 2 year old daughter. Gun Runner named Sea Runner. She has a young girl’s desire Knicks go and bred this year to Mandaloun .
Nyquist is priced at $85,000 at Darley near Lexington. Other top contenders for Nyquist this year include graded stakes winners Encino And Nysos .
Videotapes: Shoemaker Mile S. (G1T)
