Hail Freedom seeks his fifth straight victory when he makes his stakes debut in next Sunday's $100,000 California Flag Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.
The 4-year-old Box Score colt went a half-mile on Santa Anita's training track Sunday in a bullet :47 flat under the watchful eyes of trainer Doug O'Neill and owner/breeder Ed Delaney.
It was the fastest of 27 works at the distance by more than two seconds, as the average time was :49.37.
“If he comes out of it in good shape, it's on to next weekend,” said O'Neill of the bay California-bred, who won a downhill turf allowance sprint at Santa Anita on April 2 before reeling off three straight front-running overnight victories at a mile on dirt, one at Santa Anita and two at Del Mar.
“He's consistent and shows up every time,” said O'Neill. “We're very proud of him.”
Delaney, 57, hails from Albany, N.Y. near Saratoga Race Course.
“I got started in the harness business in the 1970's but I've been in California since 1985,” he said. “I don't know how Hail Freedom won four in a row, but we're kind of excited about it.”
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