Combatant gives Sadler a Santa Anita Handicap three-peat

Hours before Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap, the connections of John Sadler and Hronis Racing scratched morning line favorite Gift Box due to a sore ankle.

Then they went out and won the race anyway when Combatant took the scenic route to a 1 1/4-mile score, veering out toward the stands before guided back in by Joel Rosario to prevail narrowly over upset-minded Multiplier and Midcourt at Santa Anita Park.

It was an unprecedented third straight victory in this race for Sadler, with Combatant following Accelerate (2018) and Gift Box (2019). Accelerate was also a Hronis Racing runner.

"As a little kid coming to this racetrack, we'd always come to the Handicap," said owner Kosta Hronis. "To be in the race is an honor, and to win it three times in a row, that's just a tribute to John Sadler and his team."

Combatant, a 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy, came to Sadler much like a handful of his other top horses — only after they weren’t getting it done in other barns. Gift Box was a private purchase formerly trained by Chad Brown, while the 2019 Pacific Classic (G1) hero Higher Power for Sadler was plucked out of a sale.

Combatant hammered for $220,000 last November at Keeneland’s mixed sale and won in this, his second start for the new connections, after a third in the local San Pasqual (G2) back on Feb. 1.

Rosario, who shifted from Gift Box to Combatant following Saturday’s scratch, sat off opening fractions set by Brown Storm of 23.66 seconds for the opening quarter mile and 47.87 for the half.

Combatant loomed large through the far turn, beginning to put pressure on Brown Storm and Midcourt before spurting ahead near the top of the stretch. He completed the 10 furlongs in 2:02.32 and paid $21.20 while becoming a stakes winner for the first time.

"It's beautiful. It was nice to win and to win it for John," Rosario said. "I feel sorry that my other horse (Gift Box) scratched, but this was a nice thing to make up for it."

Formerly trained by Steve Asmussen, Combatant improved to 4-5-4 in 24 starts.

"Obviously we wanted to run Gift Box. This horse we were considering somewhere else, but I put him in as an insurance policy," Sadler said. "He trained really well and it looked like he had no distance limitations to me, so I thought it was a good chance to try him."

Sadler also reflected on his unprecedented three straight Big 'Cap victories. 

"My parents would bring me to spend time in the infield and we would have a picnic on the weekend," Sadler said. "It's just great. I can't explain it -- what it means to me. Three different horses and they're all really top horses."