Melatonin takes relaxed approach to 2016's second half

ARCADIA, Calif. - A day after his win in the $501,035 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Melatonin had a quiet morning at trainer David Hofmans’ stable on Sunday.
There was no reason to be in a hurry.

The victory in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita gave Melatonin a fees-paid berth for the Breeders’ Cup Classic here Nov. 5 through the Win and You’re In program. With that secured, Hofmans said the outlook for the second half of 2016 has changed for Melatonin.

“We can relax now and pick our spots,” Hofmans said. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

Melatonin is likely to have one start at the Del Mar summer meeting – the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 20. The race is expected to draw California Chrome, the winner of the Dubai World Cup who is scheduled to have his first start of the summer in the $200,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 23.

The Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles is not on Melatonin’s schedule. Hofmans has learned this year that the 5-year-old gelding thrives with space between races. Melatonin won the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 12, and was second to Effinex in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in Arkansas on April 16.

Hofmans considered starting Melatonin in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes here May 22, but passed to focus on the Gold Cup.

“You’ve got to be careful not to do too much,” Hofmans said. “He’s a good horse to train because he’ll tell you when he’s right.”

Hofmans said an example of that occurred in late April, when Melatonin could not maintain weight.

Owned by Susan Osborne’s Tarabilla Farms, Melatonin has won 5 of 13 starts and has earned $1,218,552. The Big Cap and Gold Cup are his only stakes wins. He was 16-1 in the Big Cap, but the 9-5 favorite in the Gold Cup. Chances are Melatonin will not be favored in the Pacific Classic if California Chrome is part of the field.

Hofmans admitted that the competition will intensify in coming starts.

“Those were good horses,” Hofmans said of the Gold Cup field. “What he’s got to face in the future are Grade 1-plus horses.”

Melatonin is by Kodiak Kowboy, who won the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in 2009 and never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles. Melatonin, meanwhile, thrives at 1 1/4 miles.

“I’m so surprised the horse has such endurance,” Hofmans said. “If you look at the horse and pedigree, you’d think he couldn’t go more than seven furlongs.”

The horses behind Melatonin in the Gold Cup will reappear in races at Del Mar ranging from the San Diego Handicap, Cougar II Handicap on July 24, Pacific Classic or races on turf.

Win the Space was second in the Gold Cup at 24-1, the longest shot in the field. He was within a head of Melatonin with a furlong remaining and was beaten 1 1/2 lengths in the best performance of his career.

Sunday, trainer George Papaprodromou said the San Diego and Pacific Classic are options for the 4-year-old Win the Space, who won an optional claimer May 15 in his first start of 2016.

“I’d like get a race before the Pacific Classic,” Papaprodromou said. “It looks like he came out of the race in great shape. It was only his second race off a layoff. He’s a great horse. I’m excited.”

Win the Space finished three-quarters of a length in front of Hard Aces, the winner of the 2015 Gold Cup at Santa Anita. Trainer John Sadler said the lack of a sharp pace hurt Hard Aces.

“He can’t win without a setup,” Sadler said. “It was a no-pace affair. It was a good honest effort.”

Hard Aces was sixth in the 2015 Pacific Classic, but may not start in the race this year. He will be nominated for stakes on turf at Del Mar, Sadler said.

Fourth-place finisher Hoppertunity is a candidate for the Pacific Classic, and is likely to have a prep race in the $100,000 Cougar II Handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar on July 24. Hoppertunity was third behind California Chrome in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 26.

In the Gold Cup, Hoppertunity closed from last to finish 2 1/4 lengths behind Melatonin.

“He was at the back and took a lot of dirt,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He came out of it well. He couldn’t get by Hard Aces. I’ll point him for the Cougar II and the Pacific Classic.”

Imperative, who finished fifth, may start in an allowance race, trainer Richard Baltas said. Bal a Bali, who finished last in his first start on dirt, will return to turf racing. Bal a Bali emerged from the race with sore feet, trainer Richard Mandella said. He said Bal a Bali may not start at the Del Mar summer meeting.