Sadler offers praise for, mount on Tripoli to Kimura

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Kazushi Kimura has found a fan in California trainer John Sadler.

Kimura, the leading rider at Woodbine in 2021 and 2022, is riding at Santa Anita this winter. He had his first win of the meeting aboard Kirstenbosch for Sadler in the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes for fillies and mares on Jan. 15.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Kimura had his first two-win day in California, riding Duvet Day ($28.20) in the Grade 3 Astra Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf for trainer Michael McCarthy and Hawker ($16.80) in a maiden race on turf for Sadler.

“He’s a strong finisher,” Sadler said of Kimura. “He’s ridden a couple of really good races for us.”

Sadler has selected Kimura to ride Tripoli in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes for older horses at 1 1/8 miles. The 6-year-old Tripoli is best known for winning the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Del Mar in August 2021.

Owned by Hronis Racing, Tripoli has not raced since he finished fourth of six as the 9-10 favorite in the Zia Park Championship at 1 1/8 miles at Zia Park in November, the final start of a winless five-race campaign last year.

:: Get ready for Santa Anita racing with DRF Past Performances, Picks, and Clocker Reports.

Sadler plans to have two starters in the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes, including Breakfast Ride who was fourth in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 26.

The stable will not run Heywoods Beach, who was third in the San Antonio Stakes and is being pointed to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on March 4.

The San Pasqual field will not include three prominent runners trained by Bob Baffert – Defunded, who won the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita in October; Taiba, winner of the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26; and Country Grammer, winner of the San Antonio.

Defunded runs in Saturday’s Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park, while Country Grammer and Taiba are candidates for the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 25.

In the San Pasqual, Baffert plans to run Hopper who has not raced since a win in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita last June. The small field also will include Newgrange, who was third to Defunded in the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Nov. 27 at Del Mar.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.