Sadler's Joy sweeps wide to take Mac Diarmida in 2018 debut

Thanks to a masterful ride by Julien Leparoux, Sadler’s Joy made his closing kick work again Saturday in Gulfstream Park’s Grade 2, $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes, returning a winner to open 2018.

The 5-year-old by Kitten’s Joy hit the far turn last of 12 in the 1 3/8-mile feature but rallied with a strong outside move, hitting the wire five across, but in front of his rivals as the 9-5 race favorite.

"I was stressed out," said trainer Tom Albertrani. "These long races really take a toll on trainers, I think.

"...He's pretty straightforward. He's trained well coming up to this spot, and we saw what we wanted to see today from him."

The final time was 2:12.93 for the multiple graded stakes winner, last seen running fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He should factor again as an older horse having last year won Saratoga’s Grade 1 Sword Dancer and Gulfstream’s Grade 2 Pan American.

Campaigned by Woodslane Farm, which also bred him, Sadler’s Joy improved his record to 6-1-3 in 15 starts.

One Go All Go set a decent pace and held on for second, while Nessy got up along the rail to take third in a photo over Oscar Nominated, who ran wide throughout.

The opening half mile went in 48.48 seconds, with 3/4 in 1:13.41. Sadler’s Joy returned $5.80 to win.

"The plan was to break a little bit better," Leparoux said, "but he just broke slow, so I just kind of bided my time with him and saved ground around the first two turns. He had his usual kick that he does in the end, so he ran a big race today. I was patient with him. I had so much horse at the end, I just wanted to make him finish and he did great.”

"We have to sweat things out coming from the back," Albertrani said. "But it worked out."