Higher Power © Benoit Photo

SADLER STRATEGIZES SEEKING FOURTH STRAIGHT SAN DIEGO WIN

Trainer John Sadler has saddled the winner of the last three runnings of the San Diego Handicap. A fourth would appear to be a tough task considering the intimidating record and presence of rival Maximum Security.

But Sadler, and his major client Hronis Racing, are hardly ones to be intimidated. And there's recent history on their side.

“Maximum Security is one of the best horses in the world,” Sadler said. “But you’ve got to run when you’re ready, and we’re ready right now.”

Sadler has entered TVG Pacific Classic defending champion Higher Power for the Grade II $150,000 San Diego, a 1 1/16-mile main track event that is the primary stepping stone to the Classic. His 5 ¼-length convincing Pacific Classic victory was the highlight of a 2019 campaign as a 4-year-old in which the son of Medaglia d’Oro won three times and compiled earnings of more than $1.2 million for Hronis.

Higher Power opened 2020 with a last-place finish of 10 as the favorite in the Pegasus World Cup in January at Gulfstream Park, then went unraced until a runner-up finish, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by Improbable, in the Hollywood Gold Cup on June 6 at Santa Anita.

“We were very happy with it,” Sadler said. “It was a very good second, coming as it did off a really extended layoff because of travel and COVID. We brought him down here where he’s run well before and plan to run him twice – the San Diego and the Pacific Classic.”

Sadler and Hronis also have Combatant, a 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy who is also entered in Sunday’s Grade II, $200,000 Eddie Read Stakes on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Combatant won the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap on March 7 in his second start for Sadler after previously being based in the Midwest with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. A venture to Hot Springs, Ark., in May for the Oaklawn Handicap produced only an 11th place finish in a field of 13. Combatant, generally a come-from-behind type, has four wins from 25 lifetime starts and earnings of $1,033,998. One victory, and $294,740 in earnings, came from turf races.

“He got cut off and generally had a bad trip at Oaklawn, so we’ve given him time off,” Sadler said. “Even if I go with him on the grass instead of the San Diego he’s still a candidate for the Pacific Classic.”

Catalina Cruiser secured victories in the San Diego Handicap for Sadler, carrying Hronis colors, in 2018-19. In 2017 eventual champion Accelerate did the honors. Accelerate’s victory was over the Bob Baffert-trained Arrogate, then the No. 1 ranked horse in the world. Arrogate finished fourth, beaten 15 lengths. Baffert will saddle Maximum Security on Saturday.

The San Diego Handicap, planned for July 18, was rescheduled a week later due to COVID-19 and post positions were re-drawn.  It made no difference for Higher Power.

“They drew the race twice and I got the rail both times,” Sadler said. “The post is not my favorite, but we’ll live with it.”

The field from the rail: Higher Power (Flavien Prat); Ax Man (Mike Smith); Sharp Samurai (Jorge Velez); Combatant (Drayden Van Dyke); Maximum Security (Abel Cedillo), and Midcourt (Victor Espinoza).

Prat’s agent, Derek Lawson, was asked how he felt about going up against Maximum Security with Higher Power. “The same as I felt going up against Maximum Security with Country House in the Kentucky Derby,” Prat said.

Racing fans know how that turned out.

LEWIS CHOOSES PATH OF MOST RESISTANCE FOR WARREN’S SHOWTIME

These were the options for trainer Craig Lewis after cross-entering his standout 3-year-old filly Warren’s Showtime in two stakes this weekend:

Today’s $125,000 Fleet Treat Stakes, 7 furlongs on the main track against a field of four other California breds - with morning line odds of 7-2. Or Saturday’s $150,000 Grade II San Clemente Stakes, 1 mile on turf against 10 other 3-year-old fillies, all of them Kentucky or foreign breds, none from California – with morning line odds of 7?2.

Lewis’ choice: “We’re going Saturday in the San Clemente.”

His reasoning: “She would have been competitive in either spot. She has run, and won, against open competition twice. And if she does well enough Saturday we’re looking to move on to the Del Mar Oaks (Grade I, $250,000, August 22).”

Warren’s Showtime, a Clubhouse Ride filly out of the mare Warren’s Veneda and a Benjamin C. Warren homebred, has five wins from 10 career starts with earnings of $412,251. Four of the wins were in overnight stakes with purses of $100,000 or more after a maiden-breaking victory at Del Mar on August 21 of last year.

“I had the good fortune to train both her father and mother,” Lewis pointed out. “She’s a wonderful filly and I’m very fortunate to be able to train her. She’s a trainer’s dream for her consistency and versatility. She can be a little tough to handle at times but she’s always very serious when it comes to race time.”

All of her wins have come from off the pace. “She’s got an exceptional turn of foot, and if things go her way, she’s dangerous,” Lewis added.

Statistics from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association show Lewis with 994 career wins, approaching the milestone 1,000. “It’s nice to have won that many races, but (1,000) won’t be that consequential,” the trainer said. “The main thing is to keep the horses healthy and happy and to stay in the game.”

The San Clemente field from the rail: She’s So Special (Flavien Prat, 5?1); Lazy Daisy (Giovanni Franco, 20?1); Laura’s Light (Abel Cedillo, 3?1); Over Attracted (Mike Smith, 15?1); Croughavouke (Umberto Rispoli, 6?1); Cheermeister (Victor Espinoza, 6??1); Little Bird (Ruben Fuentes, 15?1); Mind Out (Brice Blanc, 15?1); Warren’s Showtime (Jorge Velez, 7?2); Guitty (Juan Hernandez, 20?1), and Applecross (Drayden Van Dyke, 12?1).

UNITED TABBED AS FAVORITE FOR SUNDAY’S GRADE II EDDIE READ

LNJ Foxwoods’ United, trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, was named the 8-5 favorite on John Lies’ morning line for Sunday’s $200,000, Grade II Eddie Read Stakes.

A 5-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway, United will break from the outside post in a field of seven for the 1 1/8-mile run over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course which often determines the top grass horse of the meeting.

United was last seen at Del Mar running second as the even-money favorite, beaten a neck by Oscar Dominguez, in the Hollywood Turf Cup on December 1 of last year. United is 2-for-2 in Grade II stakes starts in 2020 – the San Marcos and Charlie Whittingham at Santa Anita – to boost his career earnings to $1,133,549.

The field from the rail: Bowie’s Hero (Tiago Pereira. 4-1); Originaire (Umberto Rispoli, 9-2); Sharp Samurai (Juan Hernandez, 5-1); Combatant (Jorge Velez, 12-1); Cleopatra’s Strike (Abel Cedillo, 8-1); Neptune’s Storm (Drayden Van Dyke, 6-1), and United (Flavien Prat).

Sunday’s other stakes offering, the $125,000 California Dreamin’ at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, drew a field of 11 California bred or sired older males. Paradise Road Ranch’s Camino Del Paraiso, trained by O.J. Jauregui, drew the rail and was tabbed the 5-2 morning line choice.

Defending summer meeting training champion Doug O’Neill will have a pair of representatives in Whooping Jay and Irish Heatwave. “They’re both in good form and even though they both drew way outside the rail is at zero so that helps,” O’Neill said this morning. “It’s a bigger field than I expected but regardless they’re both doing well  and we’re optimistic they’ll run well.”

The field from the rail: Camino Del Paraiso (Drayden Van Dyke); Galilean (Flavien Prat, 3-1); Brandothebartender (Umberto Rispoli, 15-1); Desmond Doss (Tiago Pereira, 15-1); Grinning Tiger (Heriberto Figueroa, 12-1); Loud Mouth (Juan Hernandez, 20-1); Ultimate Bango (Ruben Fuentes, 8-1); Three Ay Em (Mike Smith, 12-1); Whooping Jay (Mario Gutierrez, 15-1); Take the One O One (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 10-1), and Irish Heatwave (Abel Cedillo, 6-1). 

BRADVICA TAKES ON NEW ROLE AS AGENT FOR JOCKEY BLANC

George Bradvica, a fixture at management level positions and in racing offices at Santa Anita, Pomona and Del Mar for over 30 years, is tackling a racetrack job that’s new to him with characteristic enthusiasm.

On Wednesday, Bradvica agreed to become the agent for jockey Brice Blanc.

“I contacted 47 trainers by phone today and I start making the rounds in the backstretch tomorrow,” Bradvica said. “I think Brice is a hell of a rider. He’s got a reputation for being better on the turf than dirt which I think is unfounded and I don’t believe.

“I think he’s very good on either surface and I’m going to promote him, and that idea, and give him representation like he hasn’t had before. I know I’m not going to change people’s minds on the spot, but I hope to provide some opportunities and then the proof will be in the winning.”

Bradvica said he has been around horses since the age of five. His father and uncle owned ranches in Riverside County and he has early memories of a training center there that was home to trainer Rex Ellsworth where he was allowed to do stable work.

Veterinary school at UC Davis didn’t work out, but he earned a degree in economics and was hired by Alan Balch to work at Santa Anita in the early 1980s. As an assistant to Balch he was instrumental in innovations like a nightly TV replay show, park and ride arrangements for fans when the track drew upwards of 80,000 on Big ‘Cap Days and assisting in operations as the track served as the main equestrian venue -along with Fairbanks Ranch Country Club near Del Mar - for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

England’s Prince Phillip, husband to Queen Elizabeth, was the president of the Federation Equestrian Internationale at the time.

“I met him three times,” Bradvica said. “He said it (1984 Olympics) was the best Equestrian event ever. And I’m pretty sure it was the only one ever to make money.”

Bradvica was the general manager for the race meetings at Pomona, which followed the Del Mar summer session, for 20 years and for the last 13 has been in a similar position for the Surfside Race Place satellite facility on the Del Mar Fairgrounds. During the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club meetings he has worked in the racing office and as a placing judge.

“I’ve never been a jockey agent, but I’ve gotten to know a lot of them, as well as trainers from working in the racing office,” Bradvica said. “I think this is a natural fit for me and I’m looking forward to it.”

CLOSERS – Ten or more days of quarantining behind it, the Del Mar jockey colony regrouped for the resumption of racing today following the cancellation of three days last weekend due to a spate of positive COVID-19 tests. Riders were cleared after passing a morning screening by Del Mar Thoroughbred Club medical staff. “We are following guidelines from the county and our medical advisers at Scripps (hospital),” said Josh Rubinstein, track president and COO. “Individuals who are asymptomatic and test positive may return to their work environment - assuming no symptoms continue 10 days after testing positive. Defending riding champion Flavien Prat, current meet leader Umberto Rispoli and Victor Espinoza were among those who were asymptomatic and returning to work for the four straight days of racing.

Del Mar Statistics

Presented by Torrey Hollistics

Jockey Standings

(Current Through Sunday, July 12, 2020 Inclusive)

Trainer Standings

(Current Through Sunday, July 12, 2020 Inclusive)

Winning Favorites Report

(Current Through Sunday, July 12, 2020 Inclusive)

Winning favorites -- 7 out of 30 -- 23.33%

Winning favorites on dirt -- 2 out of 16 -- 12.50%

Winning favorites on turf -- 5 out of 14 -- 35.71%

Winning odds-on favorites -- 1 out of 2 -- 50.00%

In-the-Money favorites -- 18 out of 30 -- 60.00%

In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 2 out of 2 -- 100.00%