Combatant next to go California dreaming with Sadler, Hronis Racing

Hronis Racing has made a habit out of purchasing older horses with merely an allowance victory on their resumes, then seeing trainer John Sadler elevate them into Grade 1 winners on the west coast.

Which begs the question: Is Combatant next in line to join the likes of Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner Gift Box and Pacific Classic (G1) hero Higher Power?

“We’re going to look for him to follow in those same tracks as the other ones,” owner Kosta Hronis said over the weekend.

Agent David Ingordo went to $220,000 at last month’s Keeneland November sale for the 4-year-old son of Scat Daddy who’s best known for his run down the 2018 Kentucky Derby trail, finishing 18th in last year’s first leg of the Triple Crown series.

Formerly trained by Steve Asmussen for Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing, Combatant has since then registered a pair of stakes placings and went into the sale off an allowance victory at Churchill Downs.

“We’re really excited to have him in the barn,” Hronis said. “We’re going to see if he can’t fill a void we have.”

Combatant has run on both surfaces, with his last out win in a one-mile race that came off the turf. Sadler has the bay ridgling jogging at Santa Anita Park as he works up to a breeze in California.

“John’s thinking a little more turf. I’m thinking a little more dirt,” Hronis said. “We’ll let the horse lead us. We’ll try him in both directions and see where he fits best.”

Overall, Combatant 3-5-3 in 22 starts with earnings near $650,000. While rarely a winner, he has only run worse than fourth in six races, some of them at the highest level.

Hronis isn’t concerned, however, that costs of doing business this way will go up if Sadler’s able to make Combatant the next Hronis Racing star.

“I think it’s a pretty fair playing field,” he said. “I don’t think they’re watching us. I don’t think we’re big enough or good enough, but maybe they are. I still think of us as small fish in the pond.”