Santa Anita: Sadler's barn looks strong for 2014

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer John Sadler will know in about a month whether his 2014 stable can keep pace with the group that provided him with a career-best year in 2013.

Last year, Sadler’s runners earned $7,727,780, good enough to rank ninth among the nation’s trainers. He won 121 races. While Sadler has ranked higher nationally in the past – eighth with $7,327,753 in 2008 – and has won more races – 132 in 2010 – his stable won more money than ever before in 2013.

“I’m excited,” he said on Wednesday morning. “Every year is a good year in itself. We finished ninth nationally. I’m behind Mark Casse, who runs for a lot of money in Canada, [Jerry] Hollendorfer, [Bill] Mott, those are major stables.

“We’re hoping this season works out. I’ve got some good horses this year.”

Sadler’s 3-year-olds could push the stable higher in the standings in coming weeks.

Kristo, unraced since winning a maiden special weight race on Oct. 31, will start in the $100,000 Sham Stakes over a mile on Jan. 11. Candy Boy, second in the $750,000 CashCall Futurity at Betfair Hollywood Park on Dec. 14, will run in the $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 8. Kobe’s Back, a troubled 10th in the CashCall, will run in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes over seven furlongs on Feb. 16.

Vagabond Shoes, who won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap last August and was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in November, is the stable’s top turf marathon runner. The 7-year-old Vagabond Shoes will run in the $200,000 San Marcos Stakes over 1 1/4 miles on turf on Feb. 8.

Sadler said that the promising 3-year-old filly Koukla, a winner of her debut at Hollywood Park on Dec. 22, will skip Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs to allow more time between races.

More immediately, Sadler runs the 4-year-old filly Llandudno in an optional claimer for fillies and mares on the hillside turf course in Friday’s seventh race. Llandudno, owned by Keith Abrahams, is unbeaten in two starts on the hillside turf course in the last year.

“We’re hoping she has another race in her than just sprinting down the hill, but she does that well,” Sadler said.

Sunday, Sadler runs Sky High Gal in the $200,000 Monrovia Stakes for fillies and mares on the hillside turf course. Owned by Kosta Hronis, Sky High Gal won the 2013 Blue Norther Stakes on New Year’s Day, the first of 15 stakes wins for Sadler last year.

Sky High Gal was fourth in the Grade 3 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes on Nov. 2, finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind race winner Pontchatrain in her first start since March.

“She just missed third,” Sadler said. “I think she can move forward off that and be competitive.”

Secret Circle may go to Dubai

Secret Circle, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, will be considered for the $2 million Golden Shaheen sprint in Dubai on March 29, trainer Bob Baffert said.

Unraced since the BC Sprint, Secret Circle worked a half-mile in 48.40 seconds at Santa Anita on Tuesday, his third workout of December.

The Golden Shaheen is run over six furlongs on a Tapeta Footings synthetic track.

“There is the possibility of Dubai,” Baffert said. “We’ll know more in 30 days.”

A 5-year-old by Eddington, Secret Circle has won 7 of 9 starts and earned $1,878,790, all for Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman.

The BC Sprint was Secret Circle’s fifth stakes win. He could have a start at the Santa Anita meeting in the $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes over six furlongs on Feb. 2.