Battle of Midway cruises in Comma to the Top Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Battle of Midway won for the first time since the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar in Sunday’s $78,845 Comma to the Top Stakes at Santa Anita, his third start since returning to training after a failed stud career.

Ridden confidently by Flavien Prat, Battle of Midway ($4.20) stalked pacesetter St. Joe Bay before taking the lead on the final turn. With a three-wide move entering the stretch, Battle of Midway pulled clear through the stretch to win by 4 1/2 lengths over 31-1 All Out Blitz.

St. Joe Bay, a 6-1 chance, held third in the field of six, followed by Very Very Stella, Tatters to Riches, and Roman Rosso.

Battle of Midway ran a mile in 1:36.87.

Owned by Don Alberto Stable and WinStar Farm, Battle of Midway was found to be subfertile this year and resumed training in the spring with Jerry Hollendorfer. Battle of Midway was second in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 25 in his comeback and fifth in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap prior to Sunday’s race.

Dan Ward, Hollendorfer’s assistant, said Battle of Midway will be pointed for the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 25.

A 4-year-old colt by Smart Strike, Battle of Midway has won 6 of 13 starts and earned $1,349,049. Third in the 2017 Kentucky Derby, Battle of Midway has won four stakes.

Tatters to Riches, who won the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar in August, was beaten 13 3/4 lengths on Sunday. The 2-1 second choice in the Comma to the Top Stakes, Tatters to Riches was well placed in fourth for the first half-mile before fading.

Tatters to Riches finished eight lengths clear of Roman Rosso, a Group 1 winner in Uruguay and Argentina trained by Bob Baffert. Roman Rosso was fourth in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August in his American debut.

In recent weeks, Roman Rosso had worked in company with some of Baffert’s hopefuls for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Saturday, notably West Coast, the champion 3-year-old male of 2017.