ARCADIA, Calif. – Astronomer was less than two lengths from winning two stakes in one-mile turf races at the Del Mar summer meeting. The close finishes give trainer Simon Callaghan the expectation that Astronomer could produce a surprise result in Saturday’s Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on turf at Santa Anita. After finishing second by 1 1/4 lengths in the restricted Wickerr Stakes on July 21, Astronomer was third by a half-length in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 31. “His last two races have been his best two races,” Callaghan said. “He’s kind of knocking on the door.” The $200,000 City of Hope Mile is one of five stakes on a highly anticipated program at Santa Anita that includes four Breeders’ Cup prep races. The winner of the City of Hope Mile receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Mile on Nov. 2 at Del Mar. Last fall, Astronomer was second by a half-length in the City of Hope Mile, but 12th of 13, beaten 5 3/4 lengths, in the BC Mile at Santa Anita. Callaghan needs to see a win in the City of Hope to focus on the BC Mile. “If it happens, we’ll see,” he said. Astronomer, who races for owner and breeder Alice Bamford and co-owner Michael Tabor, has won 3 of 13 starts. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports The projected field for the City of Hope Mile is led by Johannes, who is unbeaten in three starts this year, including the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita in May; and Conclude, winner of the Del Mar Mile. Jockey Kazushi Kimura, who rode Astronomer in the recent Del Mar races, is booked to ride. Kimura has ridden primarily at Woodbine since the end of the Del Mar meeting on Sept. 8. Kimura has four mounts Friday. Aside from Astronomer, Kimura is scheduled to ride Eamonn in Saturday’s Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita. Kimura also is booked to ride at Santa Anita on Oct. 5-6, according to his California-based agent, Brian Beach. Saturday’s Eddie D Stakes has a record purse of $750,000, an increase from $200,000 last year. Santa Anita’s parent company, 1/ST Racing, has boosted the purses of three stakes on Saturday. The Grade 1 California Crown Stakes at 1 1/8 miles will be worth $1 million, an increase from $300,000 in recent years when the race was known as the Awesome Again Stakes. The Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles will be worth $750,000, an increase from $200,000 in recent years. The track also is hosting music and food promotions in an effort to draw a sizeable ontrack audience. The City of Hope Mile will not include Goliad, who recently won two stakes at Kentucky Downs in the span of a week – the $481,200 Tight Spot Handicap at a mile on Sept. 1 and the Grade 3 Mint Millions Stakes, a one-mile race worth $1.8 million, on Sept. 7. Goliad is trained by Richard Mandella who said the 7-year-old gelding will make his next start in the BC Mile. Mandella said Sunday that Goliad is in the midst of a 10-day break at a local farm and will be back to his Santa Anita stable in the coming days. Goliad is a pacesetter, a style Mandella is eager to exploit in the BC Mile. “We’ll let him roll,” he said with a smile Sunday. “They won’t know where he went.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.