Sumter ends 16-race skid with neck triumph in Lure Stakes
?q=100)
ARCADIA, Calif. - Sumter, a two-time stakes winner in 2022 as a 3-year-old, ended a 16-race losing streak with a neck win in Saturday’s $92,800 Lure Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
Sumter’s participation was a late decision by trainer Richard Mandella, who already had the Lure Stakes in mind for Seal Team, who had not raced since a win in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby last November.
“I was going to run him in an allowance race next week,” Mandella said of Sumter. “When it came time to enter, I thought the other horse might be rusty. I thought, we might take a second shot.”
Seal Team was the 2-1 favorite in the Lure and closed some ground to finish fifth in a field of nine.
Sumter ($10.80) was well placed throughout under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. Sumter was third on the first turn and second on the backstretch, tracking 3-1 Man O Rose, who led by as many as 4 1/2 lengths through solid early fractions of 23.22 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.62 for a half-mile.
Man O Rose tired on the turn when Sumter made progress to take the lead. Sumter led by two lengths with a furlong remaining, a margin reduced to a neck at the finish by the fast-closing Mi Hermano Ramon, a 13-1 chance who was fifth early.
Sumter was timed in 1:32.90 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 95.
“It was a good trip,” Mandella said. “He’s been training out of his mind.”
El Potente, who raced as a stalker, finished third at 6-1, followed by War At Sea, Seal Team, Man O Rose, Exaulted, Flashiest and Sarwar.
Sumter, a 5-year-old gelding by War Front, races for owners and breeders Ramona and Perry Bass. As a 3-year-old in the late winter and spring, Sumter won consecutive races at a mile on turf at Santa Anita in the Pasadena Stakes in February and the Singletary Stakes in April.
“He got on well for a little while,” Mandella said.
In his next 16 starts, Sumter was beaten, but did finish second twice and third on five occasions in turf races ranging from five furlongs to 1 1/16 miles.
Mandella said in the winner’s circle that Sumter and Seal Team will be pointed to the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap, a $200,000 race at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 30.
Sumter was fourth in the 2023 Seabiscuit, fading from contention after setting the pace.
Sumter has won 4 of 23 starts and earned $385,050.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.