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Sadler Reveling In Third Pacific Classic Win

TVG Pacific Classic upset winner Tripoli ($15.00) was asleep in his stall at mid-morning. Trainer John Sadler was inclined to leave the 1 ¼-length winner over Tizamagician undisturbed, calling it a “good sign,” while reflecting on what was a third TVG Pacific Classic victory for Sadler and Hronis racing in the last four years.

“I'm in the latter part of my career and when you can win these big races, I feel very blessed,” Sadler said. “I'm not that old, I'm 65, but I've been around a long time and I don't feel like I'm in the middle part of my career, whether there's two, five or 10 years left to go.”

As a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on November 6, Tripoli is now assured a spot in the champion-making race Sadler and Hronis won in 2018 with Accelerate.

Campaign planning for Tripoli going forward will be put on hold at least temporarily.

“We'll see how Rock Your World runs next Sunday ($100,000 Shared Belief Stakes), they might be candidates for the same race,” Sadler said. “(Tripoli) could run once (before the Classic) or… whatever.”

For the stable of Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, the momentum of victories by Forbidden Kingdom (4^th race, $10.60) and Subconscious (5^th, $13.60) didn't carry over to the stakes. Tizamagician led for the first mile of the 1 ¼-mile Classic before yielding to Tripoli and his Royal Ship, the second wagering choice at just under 3-1, was a no-factor seventh.

“A pretty good day, you're never going to complain if you win two races on the day,” said Gary Mandella, deputizing for his father. “We had a really good second in the Classic with Tizamagician, but Royal Ship is a bit of a mystery. We don't know what went on with him except maybe the year has been a little bit tiring on him. We'll listen to him and figure him out. He'll tell us what to do.”

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Tripoli Upsets Pacific Classic, Earns Return Trip To Del Mar For Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Classic

The owner-trainer team of Hronis Racing and John Sadler picked up their third victory in the last four runnings of the Grade 1, $1 million TVG Pacific Classic at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., on Saturday when Tripoli scored by 1 1/4 lengths from just off the pace under jockey Tiago Pereira.

Pacesetter Tizamagician – one of two runners for trainer Richard Mandella – finished second under leading rider Flavien Prat, 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner, with Todd Pletcher-trained East Coast invader Dr Post rallying to be third under Joel Rosario in the field of nine older runners. Sheriff Brown was fourth, followed by Independence Hall, 2-1 favorite Express Train, 5-2 second choice Royal Ship, Cupid's Claws and Magic on Tap.

Tripoli, a 4-year-old colt by Kitten's Joy out of Love Train, by Tapit, covered 1 1/4 miles on a fast track in 2:02.37. He paid $15 for his fourth win in 14 starts and first added-money victory.

The Pacific Classic is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series Win and You're In race, giving the winner automatic, fees-paid entry into the Breeders' Cup Classic, to be held at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

Sadler saddled his first Pacific Classic winner, Accelerate, in 2018, and won the 2019 edition with Higher Power. Both were owned by Kosta and Pete Hronis in the name of their Hronis Racing.

“It feels great to win it again, and you've got to give all the credit to the barn,” said Kosta Hronis. “Tiago rode a great race. It's the only race he rode today because he wanted to focus on it. This horse has matured and just keeps coming along and today he proved himself. We didn't know if he could go a mile and a quarter, but today we found out.”

The victory was the first in a North American Grade 1 race for Pereira, a 44-year-old native of Brazil who came to the U.S. in 2014. Winner of more than 2,000 races prior to his arrival in the U.S., his biggest win came in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in 2010 aboard Gloria De Campeao.

“(Trainer) John (Sadler) told me before the race to be careful, because there were a lot of runners who had a similar style of running, Pareira said. “So, I was okay running right behind the leaders. When it was time to run, I had plenty of horse. But once we got in front, he started looking around, waiting on other horses. I looked around and knew we were not going to get caught. This was my only mount today, so I was really focused. I am so happy.”

A $450,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate, Tripoli raced on the turf for his first 11 starts, winning a maiden race at Del Mar last August and adding a Santa Anita allowance victory in May of this year.

Sadler put the colt on dirt for the first time in June at Santa Anita and Tripoli responded with a half-length victory going 1 1/16 miles. He ran a close second to Express Train last out in the G2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar, beaten just a half length.

In the Pacific Classic, Tripoli tracked Tizamagician from the outset, following the Tiznow colt through fractions of :23.52, :46.98 and 1:11.73 for the first six furlongs. Independence Hall applied some pressure to Tizamagician, setting up a perfect trip to the eventual winner. Pereira shifted Tripoli to the outside into the far turn, engaged the front runner at the quarter pole after a mile in 1:36.88, then took command with a furlong to run.

“He looked good all the way,” said Sadler. “He broke on his feet so (jockey Tiago Pereira) was able to tuck him in there and he looked comfortable all the way around. When (Independence Hall) started to slow up we were in a good spot. He had a perfect trip, give the rider a lot of credit. He rode him perfectly.”

Tizamagician was 4 1/2 lengths clear of Dr Post, who came to the Pacific Classic of a come-from-behind victory in the G3 Monmouth Cup at Monmouth Park on July 18 in what some thought was a scouting mission for the Breeders' Cup Classic by Pletcher. The Quality Road colt had just won horse beaten for the opening mile of the Pacific Classic and closed well in the stretch to be third.

“Yeah, he ran a strange race today,” Rosario said of Dr Post. “He kind of lost interest on the backstretch, so I thought I had no horse. But when I wheeled him outside, he gave me a strong finish. I don't know how to explain it.”

Neither of the two favorites, Express Train or Royal Ship, offered a serious challenge.

Buoyed by a Pick 6 mandatory payout that included nearly $1.9 million carried over into a jackpot and drew $8,876,771 in new wagers on Saturday, Del Mar smashed its all-time, non-Breeders' Cup day handle record. A total of $36,005,613 was bet at Del Mar or on the 11-race card via simulcasting, bettering the old mar of $25,870,431 by more than $10 million. Attendance was 12,655.

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Tripoli, Pereira Win Battle At the Shore in Pacific Classic

Tiago Josue Pereira is no stranger to winning races with seven- or even eight-figure purses. In 2009, he partnered with Gloria de Campeao (Brz) (Impression {Arg}) for the very first time to cause a 24-1 upset in the $2-million G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup and less than a year later, guided the same galloper to a nose victory in the $10-million G1 Dubai World Cup. Roughly a 10% rider since relocating to the United States in 2014, Pereira had ridden seven graded stakes winners, a respectable achievement. The Brazilian, who turns 45 this November, accepted just one mount on Saturday's blockbuster card at Del Mar, so as to concentrate on the task at hand in the $1-million GI TVG Pacific Classic. It was surely worth the wait, as Pereira rode Hronis Racing's Tripoli (Kitten's Joy) to perfection, stamping the colt's ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in the process.

“[Trainer] John [Sadler] told me before the race to be careful, because there were a lot of runners who had a similar style of running,” Pereira commented. “When it was time to run, I had plenty of horse. But once we got in front, he started looking around, waiting on other horses. I looked around and knew we were not going to get caught. This was my only mount today, so I was really focused. I am so happy.”

A latest third from a high draw in the GII San Diego S. in which he stayed on gamely for second despite a tough trip, Tripoli was cozily drawn the fence this time around and was bet down from 9-1 into 13-2 at the off. Tripoli was one of the first to break the line at the top of the 10-furlong chute, but it was soon clear that Pereira was looking for some cover so as not to make the running. Help soon came in the form of Tizamagician (Tiznow) and Independence Hall (Constitution), and when those two went on with it, Pereira was able to tuck in Tripoli to sit the coveted box-seat trip. There were no twists to the plot through the middle stages, all riders seemed content with their respective positions after six furlongs in a reasonable 1:11.73. Tripoli was scrubbed along, but was still traveling well on the second turn, and when Independence Hall came under pressure and failed to kick on, Pereira had the opening he hoped might materialize and had pacesetting Tizamagician right where he wanted him. Pulled into the two path at the quarter pole, Tripoli hit the front at the eighth pole and idled a bit after making the lead, but he'd pinched a winning break and held Tizamagician safe to the wire. Dr Post (Quality Road) came off the bridle with a half-mile to race and looked likely to finish well down the field, but he regained interest in the final quarter mile and plugged on late into third, albeit well-beaten.

It was the third Classic win in four years for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler, who took it in 2018 with Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro) and again the following season with champion and future Breeders' Cup Classic hero Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky).

“It feels great to win it again, and you've got to give all the credit to the barn,” Kosta Hronis said. “Tiago rode a great race. It's the only race he rode today because he wanted to focus on it. This horse has matured and just keeps coming along and today he proved himself. We didn't know if he could go a mile and a quarter, but today we found out.”

Unsurprisingly, given his pedigree, Tripoli made the first 11 starts of his career on the turf, breaking his maiden at odds of 46-1 at second asking sprinting at Santa Anita last June. The handsome chestnut snapped an eight-race skid with a nose defeat of Saturday's GII Del Mar H. upsetter Astronaut (Quality Road) going a mile in Arcadia May 1, then switched to the dirt to post a half-length victory June 9. A 9-1 chance in the San Diego, Tripoli drew eight of eight and despite covering ground on both turns, stayed on bravely to drop a half-length decision to Express Train (Union Rags).

Pedigree Notes:

A $450,000 Keeneland September acquisition, Tripoli is the 15th top-level winner for his Hill 'n' Dale-based stallion and his first on conventional dirt. Stephanie's Kitten was a winner of the GI Darley Alcibiades S. over a synthetic track at Keeneland in 2011. He is stakes winner number 105 and graded/group winner 51 for Kitten's Joy and is the seventh Grade I/Group 1 winner produced by a daughter of Tapit.

Tripoli was produced by a stakes-placed daughter of 2001 GII Schuylerville S. winner Touch Love (Not For Love), whose MSW daughter Starfish Bay (Elusive Quality) is the dam of MSW & MGSP Blind Ambition (Tapit). Love Train is responsible for the winning 3-year-old filly For the Good Times (Empire Maker) and the unraced 2-year-old filly Starship Jessica (Hard Spun). She was most recently bred to English Channel.

Saturday, Del Mar
TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC S.-GI, $1,002,000, Del Mar, 8-21, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:02.37, ft.
1–TRIPOLI, 124, c, 4, by Kitten's Joy
1st Dam: Love Train (SP, $146,499), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Touch Love, by Not For Love
3rd Dam: Smartenof, by Smarten
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($450,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Hronis Racing LLC; B-Blue Devil Racing Stable, LLC (KY); T-John W. Sadler; J-Tiago Josue Pereira. $600,000. Lifetime Record: 14-4-3-3, $811,960. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tizamagician, 124, c, 4, Tiznow–Magic Union, by Dixie Union. ($150,000 Ylg '18 FTSAUG). O-MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella. $200,000.
3–Dr Post, 124, c, 4, Quality Road–Mary Delaney, by Hennessy. ($200,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $400,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-St. Elias Stable; B-Cloyce C Clark (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $120,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 4HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 6.50, 6.90, 3.90.
Also Ran: Sheriff Brown, Independence Hall, Express Train, Royal Ship (Brz), Cupid's Claws, Magic On Tap. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Edgeway, Bravo Team Up For Rancho Bernardo Score At Del Mar

Hronis Racing's Edgeway, the even-money favorite in a short field of four fillies and mares, went about her business in fine fashion Friday afternoon and came away a one-length winner in the 50th edition of the Grade 3, $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The 4-year-old daughter of Competitive Edge covered 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.80 under Joe Bravo and won her race in easier fashion than the margin would indicate. She also gave her trainer, John Sadler, his sixth victory in this distaff sprint going back to a fine filly named Track Gal the conditioner saddled to win the race in 1995, '96 and '97.

Finishing second in the Rancho Bernardo was Gem Inc and Kagele's Proud Emma, while pulling in third was Don Alberto Stable's Stellar Sound.

Edgeway was winning her fifth race in her eighth start and the winner's share of $60,000 pushed her earnings so far to $379,200. With show wagering cancelled due to the short field, Edgeway returned $4.00 and $2.60, while Proud Emma paid $4.60.

In the track's Rainbow Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot wager, for the 18th straight time a single bettor couldn't tab all six winners on his or her own meaning there will be yet another carryover into Saturday's TVG Pacific Classic Day card where a “mandatory” payout awaits. Friday's carryover amount of $1,874,996 will be in the pool to start the day tomorrow and it and all the “new” money that comes in on the bet will go out to those who have the most winners, guaranteed.

Some projections put the likely “new” money amount in the $6- to $10-million range. If so, it will virtually ensure that the track will best its non-Breeders' Cup single-day betting record of $25,870,431 set on August 18, 2018, a TVG Pacific Classic Day.

Racing for the big TVG Pacific Classic Day card begins at 2 p.m. Saturday. Eleven races will be on tap with the Pick 6 wager beginning on Race 6, which is scheduled to go off at approximately 4:30 p.m.

JOE BRAVO (Edgeway, winner) – “She was feeling real positive from the break right on through. I was in the catbird seat pretty much all the way. At the three-eighths (pole) I just cut her loose and she got real brave then. She's a nice filly and good horses make my job easier. It'll be interesting to see what John (trainer Sadler) does with her next.”

JOHN SADLER (Edgeway, winner) – “This has been such a good race for me and it is fun to win it again; it has been a few years in between wins. This is a good filly, she has a great record. The only bad race was her last one and Gamine (who left Edgeway 11 ¼ lengths behind in the Great Lady M at Los Alamitos) is the best in the country. She came back from it today, so I'm very happy.”

FRACTIONS: :22.31 :44.94 1:10.05 1:16.80

The stakes win was the third of the meet for rider Bravo, but his first in the Rancho Bernardo. He now has five stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Sadler, but sixth in the Rancho Bernardo. He now has 79 stakes wins at Del Mar, second most of all trainers.

The winning owners, Hronis Racing, are Kosta and Pete Hronis of Delano, Calif.

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