Bal a Bali wins U.S. debut in American

ARCADIA, Calif. – This time, an observer could believe the hype.

Bal a Bali, the winner of the Brazilian Triple Crown in 2014, won his American debut in Saturday’s $100,750 American Stakes at Santa Anita, closing from fifth in a field of eight to win the one-mile turf race by a length.

The victory lived up to the expectations jockey Flavien Prat and trainer Richard Mandella had formed since Bal a Bali arrived in California last winter.

“He’s trained like gangbusters right from the start,” Mandella said.

Sent off favored, Bal a Bali ($5) stalked the pace to early stretch when Prat guided his mount between the stakes winners Talco and Winning Prize.

Talco led by a head with a furlong to go but could not hold off Bal a Bali, who pulled away late. Bal a Bali was timed in 1:35.69.

“He’s been good in the morning, and I was confident,” said Prat, who won three races Saturday.

The only suspense, which lasted a brief moment, was whether Bal a Bali would find running room when the field turned into the stretch.

“It was kind of what we planned,” Mandella said. “We thought there would be a couple that would go, and we told Flav to save some ground.”

Talco, who won the Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf April 4, held second, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of the 8-1 Gabriel Charles. Victor Espinoza, who rode Talco, thought he was on a winner in early stretch.

“I thought I had it,” he said. “[Bal a Bali] got through just in time.”

Winning Prize, who won the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile in 2014, finished fourth, followed by Enterprising, Little Jerry, War Academy, and Home Run Kitten.

Bal a Bali, a 5-year-old horse by the Honour and Glory stallion Put It Back, races for Siena Farms and Fox Hill Farms. Bal a Bali has won 10 stakes and 12 times in his 13-race career. He has earned $570,078.

The American Stakes was the ninth consecutive win for Bal a Bali, dating back to a third in a Group 3 race in Brazil in May 2013. Bal a Bali has been with Mandella since late December but has been in the U.S. since last summer. He was shipped to this country with the intent of having him ready for the Breeders’ Cup Turf here last November, but the plan was abandoned after Bal a Bali developed laminitis.

Bal a Bali recovered from that illness in Florida and spent the autumn on a farm in Kentucky.