Big Bane Theory led home a Group 2 quinella for Emirates Park sire Artie Schiller at Santa Anita on Saturday.

The Carla Gaines trained stallion launched a perfectly- timed move to capture the $200,000 City of Hope Stakes (1600m), getting the jump on deep closer Mr. Commons to prevail by over a length.

The victory serves as a logical course-and-distance stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup Mile.  “He’s such an easy horse to train,” Gaines said.  “Joe (Talamo) rode him beautifully.  He saved ground and the leaders were always going to come back to him.”

Bane Theory (5h Artie Schiller – Shebane by Alysheba) is a homebred for Scott Gross and Mark Devereaux and was coming off a first-up placing in a stakes race at Del Mar in August.

Bred in California, he won a Santa Anita maiden and allowance as a late season three year-old and returned to win another allowance at Santa Anita last year prior to a solid fourth in the Citation Hcp in November.

His dam Shebane was a Listed winner of the 1999 Prix Joubert at Longchamp and she has also foaled Aqueduct’s Count Fleet stakes winner Laus Deo (Medaglia d’Oro).

Artie Schiller (El Prado) stands for a $22,000 (inc gst) service fee at Emirates Park’s Victorian base at Digger’s Rest.  His Victorian bred stakes winners include Laser Hawk, Mezeray Miss, Lady Melksham, Big Chill, Secret Liaison and Moving Money.