Flagstaff lands nice spot for first graded score in Palos Verdes

ARCADIA, Calif. – The sprint division in California is barely holding on. Case in point, the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita is a race with six entrants and only one graded winner.

Where have the circuit’s top sprinters gone? Omaha Beach retires after he runs Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Two-time champion Roy H, who is 8, is not officially retired, but his last work came in September. Cistron will not be ready for a comeback until late next month.

That leaves minor stakes winner Flagstaff and allowance winner Speed Pass to headline the six-furlong Palos Verdes, a $200,000 race that may lead to riches in Saudi Arabia. The $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint on Feb. 29 is possible for Flagstaff and Speed Pass.

First up is the Palos Verdes, in which four others aim for an upset. St. Joe Bay won the six-furlong Palos Verdes three years ago and a Grade 2 last year, but the 8-year-old has not started in 10 months and his work pattern suggests he will benefit from a prep race.

Ax Man returns from the same 10-month layoff, with a key difference – his sharp works signal readiness. The field includes front-running outsiders Captain Scotty and Grinning Tiger, but ultimately the Palos Verdes is an ideal spot for 6-year-old Flagstaff to win his first graded stakes in the 10th start of his career.

John Sadler trains Flagstaff, the 2-1 program favorite by track linemaker Jon White. Flagstaff is a 6-year-old Speightstown gelding who is a sibling to 2018 champion juvenile male Game Winner. Numerous setbacks prevented Flagstaff from reaching his potential.

“We always thought he was a good horse, but things didn’t go right for him,” Sadler said. “He had all kinds of stuff. He got colic at 3, he’s been injured several times. When he runs, he’s a really nice horse.”

If he runs his race Saturday – sharp workouts suggest he will – 4-for-9 Flagstaff should be tough under jockey Victor Espinoza. Flagstaff routinely earns Beyer Figures in the high 90s. His versatile style allows him to rally from just off the pace.

Sadler is eyeballing the Saudi Cup program for Flagstaff and others. His runners for the $20 million Saudi Cup, if any, are undetermined. Undercard candidates include marathon specialist Campaign pending a comeback next week, and turf sprinter Double Touch.

Bob Baffert trains two Palos Verdes entrants. Ax Man is a fast allowance-caliber gelding who has won 4 of 9, while up-and-coming Speed Pass has won both his starts impressively. He is jumping from an entry-level allowance to a Grade 2.

“This is a step up, but he’s a nice horse,” Baffert told Santa Anita publicity. “If he runs well here, I might take him to the Middle East.”

Speed Pass figures for a favorable trip pressing or stalking the pace from the outside post.