Encoder by a head in Del Mar Juvenile Turf

DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer John Sadler on Sunday said that as he drove home from the races Saturday night, he was a bit disappointed that Inspiressa had finished second in the Del Mar Debutante. But then a dose of reality washed over him. She had finished second in a Grade 1 race, and he was in the midst of a terrific summer here.

That season only got better on Sunday, when Sadler won the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf with Encoder, giving Sadler his ninth stakes victory of the 35-day-old meeting. That beat his personal best of eight, set last year.

“We set the bar pretty high,” he said on opening day.

And yet he beat last year’s mark, with horses like Catalina Cruiser and Higher Power leading the way.

Unlike those older horses, Encoder is just starting out, but he appears headed to major stakes, too. His victory in the one-mile Juvenile Turf was his second in as many starts, following a debut win against maidens going five furlongs on Aug. 7. Sadler has designs on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita, with a possible prep in the Zuma Beach at Santa Anita five weeks hence.

Encoder ($3.20), the favorite, needed the length of the stretch to reel in Billy Batts, who got loose on the lead and had a 1 1/2-length advantage heading into the lane. Encoder, under Flavien Prat, covered his final quarter-mile in less than 23.5 seconds to nail Billy Batts and win by a head.

Ardenlee Star was a distant third, 6 1/2 lengths farther back in the field of five. Commander and Raging Whiskey completed the finish, in that order. Croughavouke and Hit the Road were scratched earlier in the day.

Encoder completed one mile on firm turf in 1:35.31.

“Really pleased with the way he did it,” Sadler said. “He looks like a good prospect. We’ll see where he takes us.”

Sadler liked the way Encoder, a colt by Breeders’ Cup Turf winner and turf champion English Channel, ran down Billy Batts.

“The horse that was second had an easy lead,” Sadler said. “He put his head down and was determined. He won’t have any problems with distance. Pace in front helps, and he kicks home.”

Encoder, like Catalina Cruiser and Higher Power, is owned by Kosta and Pete Hronis, Sadler’s main clients, who purchased Encoder as a yearling for $60,000. Seven of Sadler’s nine stakes wins this meet have come with the Hronis brothers, four with Prat riding.

“It’s been a great summer,” Sadler said. “Who would have thought we’d have more than last year?”