Dr. Schivel, Prat stay in control of Santa Anita Sprint Championship

ARCADIA, Calif.. – Dr. Schivel ran along on Saturday like he was under a loose rein, which wasn’t far from the truth.

A quarter-mile into the Grade 2, $200,500 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, his right buckle came off, leaving jockey Flavien Prat with control of just the left rein. At the time Dr. Schivel was just inside and behind pacesetting Vertical Threat, but with his control limited, Prat said he yelled to jockey Abel Cedillo, aboard Vertical Threat, and showed him the evidence, and Cedillo obliged by giving Prat room to escape.

“I was just trying to be safe,” Prat said.

Dr. Schivel, now moving earlier and more aggressively than likely intended, took the lead around the far turn, opened up a commanding lead at mid-stretch, and breezed home 3 1/4 lengths best over Flagstaff, who nosed out C Z Rocket for second.

Colt Fiction was fourth, followed by Collusion Illusion and Vertical Threat, who tired to finish last.

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Dr. Schivel completed six furlongs in 1:09.44, a strong time considering how dull this main track has been the first two days of the meet. The clocking translated to a solid 103 Beyer Speed Figure, a career-best for Dr. Schivel.

Prat said the equipment looked brand new. He said in all his years riding, he’d never had something like that happen.

“I didn’t even pull. I just grabbed a little and the buckle came off,” Prat said. He said it was better to have the left rein as his lone option, being as he needed that to turn left. When Prat crossed the wire, he reached up and grabbed the right part of the bridle to try and both steady himself and apply some control toward getting Dr. Schivel pulled up.

The win was the fifth straight for Dr. Schivel, and his third in three starts this year for Mark Glatt, who took over as his trainer following a private sale last year. Dr. Schivel is owned by the Red Baron’s Barn of Jed Cohen, the Rancho Temescal of Cohen’s son Tim, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, and William Branch.

The Santa Anita Sprint Championship is a “Win and You’re In” toward the Breeders’ Cup Sprint Nov. 6 at Del Mar, but Dr. Schivel already had earned a berth into that race via his victory last time out in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar. He is unbeaten in three starts at Del Mar, so he’ll have the home-court advantage in five weeks.

Dr. Schivel was favored and paid $5.60 to win. Dr. Schivel, 3, is a son of Violence. He’s 5 for 7 lifetime, and the $120,000 winner’s share upped his bankroll to $536,000.