Flagstaff a perfect-trip winner in San Carlos Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Flagstaff got a perfect trip on Saturday at Santa Anita, and will hope for the same as he heads on a more adventurous journey.

In the Grade 2, $200,500 San Carlos Stakes, Flagstaff sat fourth behind a trio of dueling leaders, tipped out on the far turn, and held safe Roadster to win the seven-furlong race, the first stakes of the day on the Santa Anita Handicap card.

Now, trainer John Sadler will take Flagstaff out of town, either very far (Dubai) or slightly shorter (Keeneland). Flagstaff has made his first 11 starts in California, but now that he’s become one of the best sprinters in the country, he’ll race next in the Golden Shaheen or the Commonwealth.

Flagstaff, a 6-year-old gelding, has been a long-term project, He didn’t make his debut until May of 2018, and it wasn’t until May 2019 that he won a first-level allowance. But this half-brother to champion Game Winner has now won three of his last five starts, including two stakes, with one of those losses a third-place finish behind Omaha Beach and Shancealot last fall in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship.

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Victor Espinoza has been aboard Flagstaff for his last seven starts, four of which were victories. He positioned Flagstaff ideally in the early going, as St. Joe Bay, Law Abidin Citizen, and McKale tore through the opening quarter in 22.27 seconds and half in 45.04 seconds.

Flagstaff was fourth behind those three until the far turn, swooped past them and prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:22.64 for seven furlongs on the fast main track.

“I wanted to sit back and make a little run at the end,” said Espinoza, who said he tipped out when Flagstaff ran into the spray of dirt heading into the far turn.

“I didn’t want to make the lead too soon,” Espinoza said. “He waits.”

Flagstaff hit the front in upper stretch and never was in danger as Roadster cut into his margin late.

McKale was another length back in third, then came, in order, Law Abidin Citizen, Manhattan Up, and St. Joe Bay.

Flagstaff, by Speightstown, has now won five times in 11 starts. He earned $120,000 Saturday to bring his career bankroll to $403,785. Sadler trains him for the partnership of Bill Farish’s Lanes End Racing and the Hronis Racing of Kosta and Pete Hronis. This was a consolation prize for Sadler and the Hronis brothers, who were forced to scratch Gift Box from the Santa Anita Handicap earlier in the day owing to a minor ankle injury.