Shenandoah Queen repeats in Tranquility Lake

DEL MAR, Calif. – Even the small potatoes get put into the dinner casserole this Del Mar meeting by John Sadler and owners Kosta and Pete Hronis, whose stakes victories have ranged from the $1 million Pacific Classic to the $77,700 Tranquility Lake on Friday night.

Big, small, or in between, this run of stakes has provided a summer to remember for Sadler and the Hronis brothers. On Friday, Shenandoah Queen romped to an 8 1/2-length victory in the Tranquility Lake, a race she won last year -- and nothing since.

But she found a spot much more to her liking on Friday after chasing Unique Bella last time out in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch. Facing four rivals on Friday, Shenandoah Queen got an ideal spot just outside pacesetter Mended, took command on the far turn of the one-mile race, and drew away through the lane under Tyler Baze.

Vale Dori, who tossed her head just as the gate opened and was off poorly, finished a distant second, a half-length in front of Turkish Tabby. Tizway That Way was fourth, and Mended tired to finish last.

Munny Spunt and Way to Versailles both were scratched the morning of the race.

Shenandoah Queen ($11) covered one mile on the fast main track in 1:37.85.

“It seems like it goes in swells,” Kosta Hronis said of the barn’s success. “We once lost 18 in a row, and you think you’re never going to win another race.”

In addition to the Pacific Classic and Tranquility Lake, Sadler and the Hronises have won the San Diego with Catalina Cruiser and the Rancho Bernardo with Yuvetsi. Sadler also has won two stakes with Catapult.

They’ll go for another on Saturday with morning-line favorite Catalina Cruiser in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien.

Shenandoah Queen, 6, has now won six times in 20 starts. She is 2 for 11 since the daughter of Henny Hughes was privately purchased by the Hronis brothers in the summer of 2017, and her career earnings now stand at more than $212,000.