Cistron shows he can do dirt as well as turf in Northern Spur

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Cistron transferred his good turf form to dirt on Saturday when he wired the field in the $150,000 Northern Spur for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn Park.

He won by a length over Warrior’s Club, while it was another neck back to Total Tap in third.

The Northern Spur was the first main-track win for Cistron, who back home in southern California was multiple stakes-placed on the grass. Cistron also gave co-owner Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler their second Racing Festival of the South victory this week, following the Friday triumph by champion Stellar Wind in the Grade 1, $600,000 Apple Blossom.

Cistron ($7.80) bobbled at the start, but recovered under Tyler Baze to seize the lead and take his rivals through fractions of 23.38 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.03 for the half-mile and 1:11.42 for six furlongs. He continued to maintain the advantage into the stretch, going on to cover 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.58.

“He runs up front,” Sadler said. “He got a nice lead and ran really well.”

Sadler said the win opens up surface options for Cistron, but the direction he goes in next is to be determined. The horse shipped in Tuesday from Santa Anita.

“He’s been improving all the time,” Sadler said.

Cistron, who also is owned by Little Red Feather Racing, is a son of The Factor. He has now won three of seven starts and the $90,000 that he earned pushed his bankroll to $180,429.

*The ontrack attendance for the Arkansas Derby Day card Saturday is an estimated 62,500, according to officials with Oaklawn.