Sadler hoping for big weekend capped by Super Corredora

Before the champion Super Corredora starts in Sunday’s $100,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita, trainer John Sadler may already have a stakes win this weekend.

On Saturday, Sadler has three runners in two stakes – Namaron in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf, and Mohaven and Umbralle in the $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.

Super Corredora, the outstanding 2-year-old filly of 2025, is part of a field of four in the Las Virgenes at a mile, her first start since a win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar in October. She will be a short price.

A win by any of her stablemates on Saturday would be an upset, but one Sadler does not readily dismiss.

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Namaron, a minor stakes winner in Germany last April, was third by a length as the 1-2 favorite in the Grade 2 Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds on turf on Dec. 28. The $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes is his first start against older horses.

Owned by Hronis Racing, Namaron drew the outside post in a field of five led by El Potente, who won the 2025 Thunder Road, and Gas Me Up, the fast-closing winner of the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside turf course on Dec. 29.

Since arriving in the United States last summer, Namaron has finished third in three stakes.

“He’s been close,” Sadler said. “He continues to do well. I’m hoping he can breakthrough a little bit, finding a length or two here or there.”

Mohaven has not raced since she won the Golden State Juvenile Fillies for statebred 2-year-olds at Del Mar on Oct. 31, on Breeders’ Cup weekend. A winner of 2 of 4 starts, she will race on turf for the first time in the Sweet Life, which drew a field of 12.

The surface switch is an issue. Mohaven is by the young stallion Yaupon, whose oldest foals are 3 and have raced primarily on dirt. There have been exceptions, notably Midnight Martini, a maiden race winner on turf by two lengths at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 30.

The Sweet Life Stakes was chosen because of the distance. Mohaven’s preferred distance is “under a mile,” Sadler said.

“She’s trained well. She’s been remarkably consistent. She’s had a nice freshening since the undercard of the Breeders’ Cup.”

In the spring, Mohaven has a potential goal of the $125,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt.

Umbralle was well-beaten in two stakes last fall, but rebounded to finish second by a half-length in an allowance race at six furlongs on turf on Jan. 11, losing to Sweet Life contender Yours Sincerely.

Umbralle has impeccable breeding. She is by leading sire Into Mischief, and is out of Unique Bella, the champion female sprinter of 2017 and champion older female of 2018.

Earlier on Sunday’s program, Sadler starts Flyover in the Clocker’s Corner Stakes on the hillside turf course. Flyover, who is quick enough to lead, was eighth in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside turf course on Dec. 29.

In coming weeks, the Sadler-trained Pony Express is scheduled to be shipped to Oaklawn Park for a stakes. Second in the Tokyo City Cup at a mile at Santa Anita in October in his last start, Pony Express was scratched from the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 31. Sadler later said he was uncomfortable with the race distance of 1 1/8 miles in the $200,000 San Pasqual.

“Oaklawn looks like the place for him,” Sadler said.

Options at Oaklawn Park include the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 28, which has a purse of $500,000.

On Feb. 14, Sadler intends to start Revera in the $150,000 Dixie Belle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs at Oaklawn Park. The winner of the Desi Arnaz Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar in November, Revera was a well-beaten third behind Explora in the Santa Ynez Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Jan. 10.

Explora is Super Corredora’s main rival in the Las Virgenes.

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