Talco tackles tougher bunch in American Stakes
ARCADIA, Calif. – Talco atoned for a five-race losing streak with consecutive wins in March and April, including a victory in the minor Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita on April 4.
Whether Talco can extend the streak to three races depends on his ability to show further improvement in a tough running of Saturday’s $100,000 American Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita. Talco is part of a field of eight that includes the Grade 1 winner Winning Prize and Bal a Bali, a winner of nine stakes in Brazil in 2013 and 2014.
“I know he’ll need to run better,” said John Sadler, who trains Talco.
The Grade 3 American Stakes is the second of two stakes on Saturday’s nine-race program and is a prep race for the $400,000 Shoemaker Mile on turf June 13.
American Stakes, race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Talco (Last 3 Beyers: 98-92-87)
◗ Talco, who races for Kosta and Pete Hronis, won an optional claimer at a mile on turf March 12 and the first stakes of his career in the Thunder Road. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Talco closed from sixth in a field of 11 and overcame a touch of trouble in the stretch to win the Thunder Road by a head over Winning Prize.
Prior to the Thunder Road, Talco’s best results in a stakes in this country were third-place finishes in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby and Grade 1 Hollywood Derby last summer and fall.
“It looks like he’s progressing all the time,” Sadler said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Talco. Trainer John Sadler is 46-4-7-5 with a $0.58 ROI over the past five years in turf route graded stakes at Santa Anita. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Bal a Bali (first U.S. start)
◗ Bal a Bali arrived in the United States last summer but was sidelined by laminitis. He was considered a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Turf in November until the illness was diagnosed. Bal a Bali recovered through the final months of 2014 and joined trainer Richard Mandella’s stable in December.
“He’s been through a lot and hasn’t run in a while, but he acts like he’s ready,” Mandella said. “He’s very smart. You can do what you want to do.”
◗ In Brazil, Bal a Bali won 11 of 12 starts. A 5-year-old horse by the Honour and Glory stallion Put It Back, Bal a Bali has won his last eight starts, including four races at about a mile.
◗ Flavien Prat will ride Bal a Bali, who often runs from off the pace.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Bal a Bali. Trainer Richard Mandella is 8-3-1-1 with a $4.35 ROI over the past five years in turf routes with foreign shippers in the first start following a trainer switch. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Winning Prize (Last 3 Beyers: 98-97-88)
◗ Winning Prize looked like a winner in deep stretch of the Thunder Road before being caught by Talco.
“I don’t think he saw that horse,” trainer Neil Drysdale said.
◗ Winning Prize is winless in four starts since a victory in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile here in March 2014. Winning Prize, 6, was a Group 1 winner in Argentina in 2012.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Enterprising. Trainer Tom Proctor is 31-9-5-3 with a $2.52 ROI over the past two years in turf route graded stakes with Gary Stevens aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan