Sadler Thinks Ten Furlongs Suits Elektrum
{{monthName}} {{day}}, {{year}} {{hour12}}:{{minuteTwoDigit}}{{dayPeriod}}
John Sadler expects
Elektrum to continue to show good form Saturday when she runs in the Grade I Rodeo Drive Stakes for fillies and mares, three and up, at 1 ¼ miles on turf.
“The longer distance should be better for her,” said Sadler, who trains the Irish-bred daughter of High Chaparral for the Hronis brothers, Peter and Kosta. “She’s undefeated at a mile and an eighth in the U.S., and the races she had trouble in were mostly at a mile. I think she’s going to like the added distance.”
Elektrum’s Daily Racing Form trouble lines in her five U.S. races read like something out of a day in the life of Al Capp’s perennially snake-bitten comic strip character Joe Btfsplk, to wit: “Off bit slow, three wide lane; Steadied ¾, blocked 1/8; Steadied early, 5 wide lane; Boxed in stretch out kicked;” and “three wide bid, between stretch, game.”
Sadler understandably is more than pleased with his successful association with the Hronis brothers. “It’s been wonderful,” Sadler said. “We’re having another good year and it looks like we’re still going forward, so we’re pretty excited.”
The Rodeo Drive, race nine: Star Act, Gary Stevens, 15-1; Lady Pimpernel, Rafael Bejarano, 9-2; Photo Call, Drayden Van Dyke, 8-1; Famous Alice, Kent Desormeaux, 20-1; Three Hearts, Mario Gutierrez, 15-1; Elektrum, Tyler Baze, 5-1; Queen of the Sand, Mike Smith, 8-1; Hard Not to Like, Victor Espinoza, 3-1; Sharla Rae, James Graham, 8-1; Stormy Lucy, Corey Nakatani, 20-1; and Fanticola, Joe Talamo, 5-1.
MANDELLA EYES BIGGER THINGS FOR TWENTYTWENTYVISION
Richard Mandella hopes to learn whether Twentytwentyvision is the real deal or not when he runs in Sunday’s Grade II, $200,000 City of Hope Mile on turf for 3-year-olds and up.
A solid performance could put the 4-year-old Pollard’s Vision gelding on a path to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland Oct. 31.
“I entered him to see if he’s good enough for the Big Dance,” Mandella said of Twentytwentyvision, who was second after leading into the stretch in the Grade I Eddie Read at 1 1/8 miles on grass July 18, before winning an allowance test at Del Mar on Aug. 22.
“Tomorrow’s race is kind of a test, but he’s worked his way up to deserve it and we’ll see what happens,” Mandella said. “It’s a test to see if he’s good enough.”
The field for the City of Hope: Poshky, James Graham, 12-1; Hot Hot Seat, Tyler Baze, 20-1; Big Cazanova, Kent Desormeaux, 15-1; Silentio, Mike Smith, 15-1; Twentytwentyvision, Victor Espinoza, 5-1; Talco, Rafael Bejarano, 5-2; Avanzare, Gary Stevens, 3-1; Big Bane Theory, Joe Talamo, 5-1; and Alert Bay, Martin Garcia, 4-1.
FINISH LINES: Just a week to the day from suffering a stroke, Leandro Mora was back at Santa Anita Friday morning, looking as healthy as he did before he left. “Doctors told me to take two weeks off before I return to work,” said Mora, a valued assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill, “but I think I’ll be back in a week. I’m very fortunate and grateful to the doctors and all the support I’ve received from my friends at the track. I was so lucky, Doug bought me lottery tickets. I didn’t win so far, but I haven’t opened all of them yet.” . . . Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red has bruised bones in his ankles and “is off short term,” trainer and part owner Keith Desormeaux said Friday morning at Santa Anita, just back from the Keeneland Sale where be bought 27 horses, some of which will be pinhooked. “We won’t make the Breeders’ Cup with Texas Red this year, but all he needs is a couple of months off to heal. There are no chips, no fractures, no bowed tendons, no soft tissue issues, which is very good news. He’ll get a needed rest. He never had a real break except for the time we sent him to the farm before the Triple Crown races. This will give him time to grow and mature, so I only look at it as a positive experience.” . . . Tom Quigley’s guests handicappers this weekend in the East Paddock Gardens will be XpressBet TV host Aaron Vercruysse (11:20 a.m. Saturday) and Santa Anita simulcast host Michelle Yu (Sunday at 11:50 a.m.) . . . Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN), the Eclipse Award-winning broadcast organization based in Lexington, Ky., and official radio home of the 2015 Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup World Championships, will host three hours of Breeders’ Cup Challenge coverage from Belmont Park and Santa Anita Saturday. HRRN’s exclusive radio broadcast airs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time on SiriusXM, channel 93 with live streaming provided on the HRRN website, www.horseracingradio.net. Anthony Stabile will broadcast live from Belmont Park, with HRRN President Mike Penna and retired jockey Jeff Bloom on-site at Santa Anita. HRRN’s full slate of programming begins Saturday morning from 5 to 7 a.m. with their popular weekly talk show, the Equine Forum, hosted from Santa Anita. The Equine Forum airs nationwide on Sirius 93/XM 93 along with terrestrial affiliates across the country and is streamed live and podcast on the HRRN website. A complete schedule of upcoming broadcasts along with SiriusXM and affiliate information can be found on the HRRN website . . . Multiple graded stakes winner Catch a Flight, scratched from the Awesome Again Stakes due to soreness, is scheduled to undergo a nuclear scan, the results of which won’t be available for a few days, Richard Mandella said. By the way, Mandella was asked by a friend why he chose Victor Espinoza to ride Twentytwentyvision in Sunday’s City of Hope Mile. His answer drew a laugh: “I liked the way he danced,” Mandella said. . . . Programming Note: There is special early first post time of 12:30 p.m. on opening day, Saturday. Santa Anita will offer fans a blockbuster 11-race program which includes five Grade I Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” Challenge races.
Source: Santa Anita Park
We all know the feeling. Every year right after the Breeders’ Cup, the hangover hits. For me, it...
Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes drew nine 3-year-old fillies set to go 1 1/8 miles over Aqueduct’s...
Caitlinhergrtness , Canada's champion 3-year-old filly of 2024, looks to tally another graded-stakes win Saturday in the Grade...
Godolphin’s Encino has proven his versatility with victories on dirt, turf and all-weather surfaces and will look to add...
Yaupon continues his commanding performance in the 2025 freshman sire standings, recording five winners last week to extend...