Sadler now third in Del Mar training wins

DEL MAR, Calif. – With four wins the first week of the meet, including Grade 2 stakes victories with Catalina Cruiser in the San Diego on Saturday and Catapult in the Eddie Read on Sunday, John Sadler moved into third place for career victories among trainers at Del Mar, passing Hall of Famer Ron McAnally.

Sadler, 61, now has 448 victories at this track, surpassing McAnally’s 445. Only Bob Baffert, who won one race opening week and has 481 wins, and the late Mike Mitchell, who had 476, have more wins at Del Mar than Sadler.

“I’m very proud of that,” said Sadler, who grew up near Los Angeles and has been based on this circuit throughout his career. “I’ve always had good meets here. Being a Southern California guy, it means a lot to me.”

Sadler also is moving up the all-time stakes wins list, too. He has 61, placing him sixth, and is one behind Richard Mandella. The late Bobby Frankel is fourth with 70. Baffert is the runaway leader with 124, and McAnally is second with 77.

Catapult on Sunday was making his second start since joining Sadler’s barn.

“He was a little rank the first time I ran him,” Sadler said. “I thought’d he’d progress, and he did.”

Catapult could return in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile next month, but Sadler said he wasn’t certain of that, thinking the distance “might be a little short.”

Catapult was a 21-1 winner, less than one-third the price on Sadler’s other Sunday winner, the 74-1 bomber Kentan Road in race 4.

“Shocked,” Sadler said of Kentan Road’s win. “I don’t think I’ve ever had one pay that much.”

◗ Jockey Kyle Frey has been suspended for three days, beginning Sunday, after being cited by the stewards for careless riding aboard Truck Salesman in race 9 on Saturday. Truck Salesman finished fifth.