JORDAN Gainford stepped in to partner L’Imperator to a breakthrough score at the top level in the first running of the Grade 1 Beverly R. Steinman Hurdle Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack on Thursday.

Trained by Archibald Kingsley Jr., the seven-year-old Holy Roman Emperor gelding was placed in his last four starts, including a third at the Grade 1 level to the Rampoldi Plan in the Commonwealth Cup at Great Meadow last month.

Under a well-timed ride by Jordan Gainford, he beat that rival again.

Kingsley has big plans for the gelding with a trio of upcoming Grade 1s in New York on the agenda.

L’Imperator travelled towards the back of the eight-horse field during the early stages well off the pace set by the Jamie Bargary-ridden Rampoldi Plan ahead of Ziggle Pop and Graham Watters.

Down the backside, Gainford moved L’Imperator into striking distance of the front pair. After clearing the final fence, Ziggle Pops took a narrow lead over Rampoldi Plan approaching the final turn. The pair duelled before L’Imperator joined to their outside and swept by.

L’Imperator, who was second in the Lonesome Glory here in September, extended away to a two-length victory.

Gainford said: “We wanted to get cover and we did. On the last circuit, I was just curious of the two in front of me and I thought Jamie’s horse (Rampoldi Plan) was the horse to beat. I just wanted to keep him in my sights. Once I turned in, I nearly got there too soon.”

“I only grew more confident as the race was unfolding. With a turn to go, I said to myself, ‘we’re going to win it,’” trainer Kingsley was quoted on BloodHorse. “He was going after those two that had shaken loose, and he was going to take his time to get there and keep an eye on them, but it all unfolded perfectly.”

“Ed Swyer and I have been around the world together racing at this level and to share in a moment like this is as good as it gets,” said Kingsley.

The trainer’s daughter Taylor Kingsley finished second at Leopardstown in the last race that evening.

SANTA Anita’s six-month 2023-24 Winter-Spring season came to an end on June 16th which, and combined with the six-week autumn season from 2023, produced a 99.97% safety record, making the facility the safest track in North America of those with a comparable volume of racing, a release from the track revealed this week.

Since the beginning of the autumn meet on September 2023, through the closing day on June 17th, 2024, a total of 6,678 horses ran in races over Santa Anita’s main track and turf course.

The 99.97% safety mark ranks Santa Anita the highest in the world with a similar racing schedule.