Medaglia d'Oro | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘You’ve Got To Run When You’re Ready’: Higher Power Takes On Maximum Security In San Diego

Trainer John Sadler has saddled the winner of the last three runnings of the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. 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.

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Souper Escape Runs Away With Woodbine’s Trillium Stakes

Live Oak Plantation's Souper Escape gave her filly and mare foes the slip in the $125,000 Trillium Stakes to earn her first graded stakes victory on Saturday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada.

The Michael Trombetta trainee was an impressive 1:42.78 winner in the Grade 3 main track event, coming close to the 1:42.16 track record for 1 1/16 miles held by recently retired Freitag.

“When she came out from the gate, she was so nice and relaxed, it looked like it was kind of easy, but she was all game today,” said winning jockey Luis Contreras, who was bracing for the competition to come. “When I turned for home, I had so much horse and she just kept rolling.”

Souper Escape set fractions of :24.93 to the quarter, :48.65 to the half and 1:11.76 while widening her lead to three-quarters. Another Time and favorite Theodora B. were her closest rivals three lengths behind after Nantucket Red levelled off when attempting a three-wide bid down the backside.

Souper Escape opened up six lengths down the lane and ended with 4 1/2 lengths to spare as Painting, who trailed the seven-horse field through the first half-mile, rallied into second-place and finished 3 1/4 lengths clear of show finisher Another Time.

Art of Almost, Wings of Dawn, Theodora B. and Nantucket Red rounded out the order of finish.

Souper Escape paid $7.50 to win as the slight 5-2 second choice.

The four-year-old homebred daughter of Medaglia d'Oro–Cry and Catch Me also counts the 2019 La Lorgnette Stakes, her only other start on Tapeta, among her five wins from 15 starts. Today's victory boosted her bankroll well over the $200,000 mark.

Contreras and Trombetta have already teamed up for a stakes win this season with Woodstock champion Newstome at the start of the meet.

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Turf-Bred Altaf Going After Kentucky Oaks Points In CCA Oaks

When reading the pedigree of Shadwell Farm's Grade 1, $350,000 Coaching Club American Oaks aspirant Altaf, one would be led to believe that she would likely find a home on grass. But such has not been the case thus far.

Following a seventh-place effort on debut over the lawn at Gulfstream Park, the bay daughter of Medaglia d'Oro raced at Churchill Downs over the main track, which appeared to make a huge difference as she powered home a 5 ¼ length-victor under jockey Joel Rosario.

Trained by Chad Brown, Altaf is out of the Smart Strike broodmare Fawaarek, who was a winner on grass. Her grand dam was three-time turf Grade 1-winner and 2002 Champion Turf Mare Golden Apples, who produced graded stakes winner on turf Habaya, as well as turf graded stakes-placed Hatheer.

“Golden Apples was a very good turf mare. I guess the Medaglia d'Oro is coming out in her a bit,” said Shadwell Farms' general manager Rick Nichols. “She had worked well on the grass. Chad thought that's where she should start out at. But she didn't seem to like it all that much. The jockey [Joel Rosario] liked her the day he rode her, but he too didn't think she cared for it that much. We brought her back on the dirt and it was impressive.”

How impressive? Enough to really catch Nichols' attention.

“Once you've seen as many horses as I have over the years, it's hard for me to be too impressed, and I was impressed,” Nichols said.

The Coaching Club American Oaks, offering 100-40-20-10 points to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, will be quite the step up in class from Altaf's maiden victory. But Nichols said that his filly is up for the task. Brown won last year's CCA Oaks with Guarana, who in her prior start won the Grade 1 Acorn off of an impressive maiden victory.

“It's a big step, but I like the fact that we have a nice small field and Chad is very, very pleased with her,” said Nichols. “He loves her. He's always thought a lot of her. After that race, we all like her a little bit more.”

A big run on Saturday could result in Altaf targeting the lilies on the First Friday in September for the Kentucky Oaks.

“If she wins on Saturday and comes out of it well, we'll speak to Sheikh Hamdan and I'm sure he would love to give her a try in the Oaks,” Nichols said.

Altaf will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post 3.

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Shackleford Filly Tops OBS July Sale’s Opening Session

Hip No. 15, Shack's Lil Mishap, a daughter of Shackleford consigned by Coastal Equine LLC (Jesse Hoppel), Agent, went to Donato Lanni, Agent, for $375,000 to top the first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2020 July Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age.

The bay filly, whose quarter in :20 4/5 seconds was the fastest work at the distance at Monday's under tack session, is out of Peace Queen, by Indian Charlie, a half sister to graded stakes winner Tizaqueena.

Patrice Miller, EQB, Inc., Agent, paid $350,000 for Hip No. 115, a daughter of Malibu Moon, whose eighth in :10 flat was co-fastest at the distance at Monday's under tack session. Consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc., (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, the chestnut filly is out of Samsational, by Unbridled's Song, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner I Want Revenge.
Hip No. 200, a son of Honor Code consigned by Dark Star Thoroughbreds (Stori Atchison), Agent, was purchased by Speedway Stable for $340,000. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed a quarter in :21 2/5 on Tuesday, is a half-brother to stakes winner Wake Up Nick out of Storm Hearted, by Lion Hearted.

Hip No. 103, a son of Not This Time consigned by Ocala Stud, was sold to Breeze Easy LLC for $250,000. The half-brother to stakes winner Softly Lit, who worked a quarter on Monday in :21 1/5, is out of Running Creek, by Cape Town, a daughter of graded stakes winner Palliser Bay.
Hip No. 331, a daughter of Kantharos consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, went to Parker Place Racing for $220,000. The chestnut filly, who breezed an eighth in :10 flat on Tuesday, is out of stakes winner Wildcat Heiress, by Wildcat Heir, a half-sister to stakes winner Babaganush.
Hip No. 158, a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro consigned by All In Line Stables, Agent, was sold to Joseph Brocklebank, Agent, for $200,000. The dark bay or brown filly, who turned in an under tack quarter on Monday in :21 2/5, is out of Sigurwana, by Arch, a half-sister to stakes winner Token of Love (GB).
J. Stable LLC paid $170,000 for Hip No. 228, a daughter of Flatter who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 on Tuesday. The chestnut filly, consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, is out of Sweet Carrie, by Sidney's Candy, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner The Factor.
Hip No. 342, a son of Cairo Prince consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, brought $150,000, going to Carolyn Wilson. The gray or roan colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 on Tuesday, is out of Written Request, by Arch, a daughter of stakes winner Petition the Lady.

For the session, 147 horses grossed $4,788,800, compared with 204 selling for a total of $6,119,500 at last year's first session. The average was $32,577 compared with $29,998 a year ago, while the median price was $13,000, compared to $17,500 in 2019. The buyback percentage was 32.6 percent; it was 22.4 percent last year.

The July Sale continues Wednesday at 10 a.m. Hip No.'s 361 – 720 will be offered.

To view the full results from Tuesday's session, click here.

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