Kristo to Arrive for Wood Memorial Tuesday

Photo: Benoit Photo

Kristo, most recently third in the Grade 2 San Felipe, 13 ½ lengths behind winner California Chrome, is scheduled to arrive at Aqueduct Tuesday for the Grade 1, $1 million TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial, his first start outside California. Trainer John Sadler said the bay son of Distorted Humor worked well at Santa Anita on Sunday, covering six furlongs in a handy 1:12 2/5.

"In his last race, we changed his running style and took him back on a speed-favoring track and that probably was a mistake," said Sadler of Kristo, who is 1-3-1 from five career starts. "He ran much better in the [Grade 3] Sham before that [second to Midnight Hawk] and we think he deserves one more chance."

Kristo is looking to emulate the Wood success of California invaders such as I Want Revenge (2009), Bob and John (2006), Congaree (2001) and Fusaichi Pegasus (2000).

Accompanying Kristo on the flight will be Grade 3 Bay Shore hopeful Kobe's Back, who won the Grade 2 San Vincente by 5 ¼ lengths but then was seventh of eight after being rank early in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park. The California-based Sadler's last graded stakes win in New York was the 1993 Bay Shore with Three Peat.
 

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