Catalina Cruiser likely to train up to Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

DEL MAR, Calif. – The undefeated and untested Catalina Cruiser is unlikely to race again until the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3 following his comprehensive win in Saturday’s Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar.

Trainer John Sadler said on Sunday that a 10-week gap between races could work in favor of Catalina Cruiser, who will leave the Del Mar summer meeting as a two-time stakes winner.

“With him, I could wait,” Sadler said. “He runs so well fresh.”

Catalina Cruiser led by 3 1/2 lengths with a furlong to go and was timed in 1:22.13. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103.

Catalina Cruiser is owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, who also own Accelerate, the winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 18 and a leading contender for the BC Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

Accelerate, trained by Sadler, is scheduled to start in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 29 in his final prep for the Breeders’ Cup. Sadler wants to keep Accelerate and Catalina Cruiser apart.

“I’m not sure there is another race for him,” Sadler said of Catalina Cruiser.

By Union Rags, Catalina Cruiser, 4, has won four races. After a maiden race win last October, Catalina Cruiser won an allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option at six furlongs on May 19 in his first start of 2018. Catalina Cruiser won his stakes debut in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles here on July 21 by 6 3/4 lengths, leading throughout.

In the $196,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs, Catalina Cruiser disputed the pace for the first three furlongs before pulling clear to win by 7 1/4 lengths over Battle of Midway, the winner of the 2017 BC Dirt Mile.

Catalina Cruiser earned a fees-paid berth in the BC Dirt Mile with the win in the Pat O’Brien.

In his four races, Catalina Cruiser has won by at least 2 1/4 lengths, leaving Sadler to wonder the extent of the colt’s talent.

“We don’t know,” he said. “That’s the fun part. He’s still in the progressive stage.”

After the BC Dirt Mile, the $16 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 26 is a long-term goal for Catalina Cruiser, Sadler said.

Battle of Midway had his first start of 2018 in the Pat O’Brien. Battle of Midway was sent to stud in Kentucky last winter but was found to be subfertile and resumed training in the spring.

“The race should do him some good,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “The horse kept trying the whole way.”

Hollendorfer said the BC Dirt Mile is a possibility for Battle of Midway. On Sunday, he did not have any immediate race plans.

“We’re trying to look at a race like the Dirt Mile,” Hollendorfer said. “We’ve got our starting point out of the way.”

Only four ran in the Pat O’Brien after eight horses were entered. The two most prominent scratches were Ransom the Moon and Roy H, the first two finishers of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs on July 28.

Ransom the Moon worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds on Sunday. Trainer Phil D’Amato reiterated his plan to start Ransom the Moon in the Grade 3 Frank De Francis Memorial Dash at six furlongs at Laurel on Sept. 15 as a prep for the BC Sprint.

“Timing-wise, running every seven weeks seems to be best, if we take that route,” he said. “The De Francis Dash would make the most sense.”

D’Amato said he had no second thoughts about skipping the Pat O’Brien and avoiding Catalina Cruiser.

“The way the race shape was, it was a total mismatch,” he said.

Roy H, the champion sprinter of 2017, is a candidate for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 6. The winner receives a fees-paid berth in the BC Sprint. Trainer Peter Miller said in a text message on Saturday that starting Roy H in the Pat O’Brien and the Santa Anita Sprint could have dulled Roy H’s chances for the BC Sprint.