Gift Box aces first West Coast test, wins San Antonio Stakes
Gift Box
announced himself as a name to know in the older horse division on the West
Coast when the John Sadler trainee made his debut for Hronis Racing a winning one Wednesday, besting Battle of Midway and Dabster in the Grade 2, $300,000 San Antonio Stakes on Santa Anita’s opening day.
Hronis Racing also campaigns Accelerate,
the recent Breeders’ Cup Classic champion and Horse of the Year candidate slated to make his final start in the 2019 Pegasus World Cup.
Gift Box was a private purchase this year. He was previously campaigned in New York by W.S. Farish and conditioned by Chad Brown. The San Antonio marked the first start for the 5-year-old son of Twirling Candy since March, when he won an allowance optional claiming race at Aqueduct.
“We found him under the Christmas tree -- that’s what happened,” quipped owner Kosta Hronis. “John went out and wanted to buy me a present, so he got me a Gift Box. We’ve been joking about this for a few weeks now, so it all worked out.”
The 1 1/16-mile San Antonio was intended as a final prep for 2017 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Battle of Midway, who could face Accelerate in the Pegasus World Cup.
Longshot Pitino took command from the rail and led the field through fractions of 23.28 and 46.72. Battle of Midway and Dabster – the 1-2 finishers of the Native Diver Stakes (G3) last out – battled in second and third. Jockey Joel Rosario settled Gift Box in fourth. Tatters to Riches, Yulong Warrior, Air Strike, Beach View and Sonneteer made up the second half of the field.
Pitino was out of run by the time three-quarters of a mile rolled around in 1:11.06. Battle of Midway and Dabster continued their duel from their last outing together, but they had a new rival to worry about in the San Antonio. Rosario took Gift Box to the outside and passed the other two. The gray horse was up by half a length, while Battle of Midway finished second three-quarters of a length ahead of Dabster. It was another 3 ½ lengths back to Beach View in fourth.
The final time was 1:43.88.
“It worked out perfect,” Hronis said. “This is what we were pointing toward.”
While in New York, Gift Box ran third in the 2015 Remsen Stakes (G2) and second in the 2016 Curlin Stakes. He also ran fourth in the 2016 Travers Stakes (G1). His breakthrough victory in the San Antonio improved his earnings to $524,160 and his record now stands at 14:4-5-2.
“We really liked what we saw right off the bat with him,” Hronis added. “I think coming here to the West Coast, maybe he likes the weather. Maybe he likes the track. But this looks like a really sharp horse.”