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Galilean Emerges From Stretch Duel, Inquiry With California Flag Win

Trainer John Sadler's classy Galilean cut back in distance, added blinkers and survived a stewards inquiry to prevail in Sunday's $100,000 California Flag Handicap at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, the 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo was up to nip Ultimate Bango by a head while getting 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:02.13.

Away alertly from his outside post, Galilean tracked pacesetter Mikes Tiznow and Ricardo Gonzalez into and around the far turn and was one length off of him a quarter mile out. As Mikes Tiznow began to shorten stride, Galilean drifted inward some, causing Gonzalez to steady at the sixteenth pole and from there, Galilean was able to outrun Ultimate Bango late.

“Unfortunately, my horse didn't want to switch leads and he was hanging in the whole way,” said Rispoli, who had ridden him for the first time at Del Mar on Aug. 23. “I was obligated to just ride it with him and to try to make him as straight as I can, but he's a huge horse. I got (the win) because he was the (best) horse in the race.”

Fifth to world-class turf miler Mo Forza in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile Handicap on turf Aug. 23, Galilean was off as the 3-2 favorite in a field of five California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and up and paid $5.00, $3.00 and $2.20.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Denise Barker, William Sandbrook, John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith, Galilean, who is out of the El Prado mare Fresia, notched his sixth win, all stakes, in his 12th career start. With the winner's share of $60,000, he now has earnings of $577,098.

“He's a really good horse,” said Sadler who took over training duties five starts back on Feb. 29, 2020. “This is the third stakes we've won with him. … He's got so much class. We changed things up today, running short, but we added blinkers and as you saw, he's got a ton of natural speed. Long range, it's exciting because these Uncle Mo's are becoming great stud prospects and that's very encouraging for him.

“We're excited about the new turf chute here at Santa Anita and we'll look at running him in a stake going six and a half (furlongs) this winter. We'll probably stick with the state-bred program, there's just so much money there.”

Ultimate Bango, who was also adding blinkers in his first start for Mark Glatt, tracked Galilean to the far turn, kept inside of Mikes Tiznow through the stretch drive while making the lead inside the furlong pole, but couldn't keep the winner safe late. Off at 9-2 with Abel Cedillo, Ultimate Bango paid $5.00 and $3.20 while finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of Rookie Mistake.

Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Rookie Mistake finished well at 9-1 and paid $4.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.71, 45.09 and 56.29.

Named for the Hi Card Ranch-bred winner of the 2009 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, the California Flag is for eligible California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and up and is part of the lucrative Golden State Series, which is sponsored by the CTBA.

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Mo Forza, Galilean Top Field Of 11 For Sunday’s Del Mar Mile

Eleven turf runners will match strides Sunday in the featured Grade II, $150,000 Del Mar Mile Handicap. The 34th edition of the stakes goes as Race No. 9 on an 11-race program that is off and running at 2 p.m.

A pair of 4-year-old colts sired by the high-line Kentucky stallion Uncle Mo loom as the likely favorites in the test – Bardy Farm or O G Boss's Mo Forza and West Point Thoroughbreds, Barker, et al's Galilean. Not surprisingly, they've drawn the top two jockeys at the current session with current leading rider Umberto Rispoli on Galilean and second-leading rider Flavien Prat on Mo Forza.

Here's the full field for the eight-panel spin with weights, riders and morning line odds:

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stable's The Black Album (120, Abel Cedillo, 12-1); Claiborne Farm, Bass or Dilschneider, et al's Bombard (120, Drayden Van Dyke, 10-1); Galilean (120, 9/2); Mo Forza (123, 7/2); Masino Racing Stable's Dreams of Valor (117, Edwin Maldonado, 20-1); Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal's Sharp Samurai (124, Brice Blanc, 6-1); Fox Hill Farms or Siena Farms' Royal Ship (121, Mike Smith, 5-1); Brinkerhoff or Grayson Jr.'s Restrainedvengence (120, Tiago Pereira, 10-1); H & E Ranch's Overdue (119, Juan Hernandez, 12-1); Victor Trujillo's Kiwi's Dream (120, Ricardo Gonzalez, 8-1), and Zayat Stables' Bob and Jackie (121, Heriberto Figueroa, 12-1).

Mo Forza took six races to break his maiden, but once he did last September at Santa Anita, the bay went on a roll. He won three stakes in a row, including the Hollywood Derby at Del Mar last November 30. He hasn't raced in seven months, but has been training well of late at Del Mar for conditioner Peter Miller and looms a serious threat for the Sunday headliner.

Galilean comes into the race off a tally in the California Dreamin' Stakes at Del Mar on July 26. Prior to that he captured the Soi Phet Stakes at Los Alamitos in June. The $600,000 2-year-old-in-training purchase is now handled by trainer John Sadler and has run well for him in four starts this year. Interestingly, Prat rode Galilean in his California Dreamin' score, but now switches to Mo Forza for the Del Mar Mile.

The topweight in the field, Sharp Samurai, comes into the race off a good second-place finish behind turf ace United in the Eddie Read Stakes here on July 26. The 6-year-old gelding by First Samurai, a winner of eight races and $881,270, also is entered in Saturday's Grade I, $500,000 TVG Pacific Classic. Trainer Mark Glatt will have to make his choice at some point on Saturday as to which dance his old pro will be going in. Racetrack speculation had him staying in the “Classic.”

The Brazilian-bred Royal Ship, a son of 2008 Del Mar Futurity winner and 2-year-old champion Midshipman, will be making his U.S. debut in the mile. He was a multiple-stakes winner in his native land, winning most recently in the Group I Estado do Rio de Janeiro at Gavea Racecourse in Rio. He's won five of his seven lifetime starts. Richard Mandella has been training the horse for his North American bow.

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Back To Two Turns, Galilean Wins Soi Phet Stakes At Los Alamitos

A stretch to two turns and a return to Los Alamitos in Cypress, Calif., proved the winning moves for Galilean as he rolled to an easy victory in the $101,500 Soi Phet Stakes on Saturday.

Trained by John Sadler for West Point Thoroughbreds, Denise Barker, William Sandbrook, John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith, the 4-year-old stalked the early pace from his outside post, then powered away in the final quarter of a mile to win by four lengths under jockey Juan Hernandez.

The score in 1:35.49 for the mile was the first for the son of Uncle Mo and the El Prado mare Fresia since he captured the California Cup Derby Feb. 18, 2019, at Santa Anita when trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer.

He's now 4-for-9 lifetime with earnings of $442,948. Three of those victories – in as many starts – have come at Los Alamitos. Galilean captured the Barretts Juvenile in his career debut here Sept. 22, 2018, then won the King Glorious – at the Soi Phet distance – by nine lengths nearly three months later.

The even-money favorite against seven other horses bred or sired in California, Galilean paid $4, $3.40 and $3.

Grinning Tiger, fresh off a 92-1 upset in the Crystal Water Stakes on turf three weeks earlier, finished a head in front of 18-1 outsider Brandothebartender to complete the exacta. Dismissed at 12-1 Saturday, Grinning Tiger returned $8.20 and $5 while the show price on Brandothebartender was $4.60.

Completing the order of finish were Loud Mouth, King Abner, the 5-2 second choice, pacesetter Take the One O One, Lymebyrd and Three Ay Em.

“I talked to (Sadler) this morning and he told me to try and sit just outside the speed,'' said Hernandez after his first Los Alamitos stakes success. “This horse relaxed perfectly and I wanted to wait until the stretch to make a move and he exploded when I asked him. He was lugging in some, but I corrected him and he was very strong at the end.''

Alex Bisono, an assistant to Sadler, thinks the stretch to eight furlongs was crucial for Galilean.

“I definitely think he's a better two turn horse,'' he said. “He likes this track. He was comfortable the whole way. I wish he had run a little bit straighter down the stretch, but he didn't bother anybody because he was clear.''

Racing resumes Sunday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 1 p.m.

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Grinning Tiger Back At Favored Los Al For Saturday’s Newly-Named Soi Phet Stakes

Fresh off a gate-to-wire 92-1 shocker in the Crystal Water Stakes on the Santa Anita turf, Grinning Tiger will try to remain perfect at Los Alamitos in the $100,000 Soi Phet Saturday.

A one-mile event for 3-year-olds & up bred or sired in California, the Soi Phet – which was formerly named the Bertrando (2014-2019) – is the eighth of nine races. Post time is 1 p.m. Approximate post time for the Soi Phet is 4:30 p.m.

The stakes honors a gelded son of Tizbud, who won five stakes at Los Alamitos – including the race now named for him in 2014 and 2018 – for the Benowitz Family Trust, Mathilde Powell and Paul Viskovich and trainer Leonard Powell. Soi Phet, who was claimed for $16,000 in the spring of 2013 at Hollywood Park, retired at age 11 in 2019 with more than $1 million in earnings.

Owned by Tyree Wolesensky and trained by Anthony Saavedra, Grinning Tiger ended a five-race losing streak with his Crystal Water stunner, defeating seven rivals by nearly two lengths at the same distance he will be running Saturday.

Both of his wins at Los Alamitos were 7-1 upsets in sprints. He defeated state bred optional claimers going 5 ½ furlongs during the 2019 Summer Thoroughbred Festival and led throughout to win an optional claimer during the Los Angeles County Fair meet nearly two months later.

A son of Smiling Tiger and the Pioneering mare Karlee's Kitten, Grinning Tiger has won eight of 27 and banked $209,801.

Galilean is also 2-for-2 at Los Alamitos with his victories coming in 2018 when trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer.

The Uncle Mo colt out of the El Prado mare Fresia won at first asking as a 2-year-old Sept. 22, then stretched out to the Soi Phet distance to win the King Glorious by nine lengths during the Winter meet that year.

Owned by a partnership that includes West Point Thoroughbreds, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith and now trained by John Sadler, Galilean is seeking his first win since taking the California Cup Derby Feb. 18, 2019. He's 3-for-8 with a bankroll of $382,948.

Trained by Phil D'Amato for Summit Racing LLC, William Branch, Jeff Owen, Jeremy Peskoff and Jackie Rojas, King Abner will be trying to improve upon a fifth place finish as the 4-5 favorite in this race last year.

The 6-year-old gray gelding by Hansen out of the Salt Lake mare Margarita Salt has won six of 25 and earned $399,309. He owns a win at Los Alamitos, scoring an optional claiming victory during the 2018 Winter meet.

Take the One O One will bid for a second consecutive win for owner Samantha Siegel's Jay Em Ess Stable and trainer Brian Koriner. The 5-year-old Acclamation horse went gate-to-wire at the Soi Phet distance May 22 in Arcadia.

Out of the Jump Start mare North Freeway, Take the One O One is 5-for-13 with earnings of $382,306.

Claimed for $20,000 by trainer Andrew Lerner for Alydom Racing LLC out of a turf win May 25, Three Ay Em, who hass won four of 13 and earned $125,799, will be looking for his second tally at Los Alamitos.

The 4-year-old son of New Year's Day and the Theatrical mare Potenza broke his maiden via disqualification in his fourth career start Sept. 8, 2018 when trained by Jeff Bonde.

Lerner will be trying for a second consecutive win in the Soi Phet. He clicked with the mare Queen Bee to You a year ago.

Brandothebartender will be looking for his first win on a surface other than turf.

Trained by Craig Dollase for Flawless Racing, Brian Flanagan and Michael Jarvis, the 7-year-old Tribal Rule gelding out of the Stravinsky mare Frysland is 0-for-4 on dirt. He's 6-for-34 overall with a bankroll of $460,984.

Lymebyrd will be making his first start in Southern California since 2018 for owners Don and Guy Brown and trainer Angelo Tekos.

The 7-year-old Limehouse gelding out of the Old Trieste mare, who has won six of 33 and earned $212,534, has a Los Alamitos victory on his resume. He broke his maiden by 7 ½ lengths against $20,000 claimers July 15, 2017 when trained by Dean Pederson.

Loud Mouth will stretch out to eight furlongs after finishing fourth of five in the Thors Echo Stakes June 13.

Trained by Steve Knapp for Thomsen Racing LLC, the 4-year-old Boisterous colt out of the Drama Cat mare Tale of the Cat has won four of 16 and banked $133,348.

From inside out, the field for the Soi Phet Stakes: Brandothebartender, Umberto Rispoli rides, 119 pounds; King Abner, Abel Cedillo, 119; Take the One O One, Jose Valdivia, Jr., 119; Three Ay Em, Aaron Gryder, 119; Loud Mouth, Drayden Van Dyke, 119; Grinning Tiger, Heriberto Figueroa, 124; Lymebyrd, Tiago Pereira, 119 and Galilean, Juan Hernandez, 119.

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