War At Sea sails away with third consecutive victory in Cinema Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - The progression of the 3-year-old colt War At Sea continued Saturday with his third consecutive win in the $100,000 Cinema Stakes on turf at Santa Anita.

The Cinema Stakes was War At Sea’s stakes debut.

Ridden by Mike Smith, War At Sea ($9.80) was always near the front, took the lead in the final furlong and won by three-quarters of a length over 7-2 Cabo Spirit. War At Sea ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.97 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 82.

Trained by Ron Ellis for Doubledown Stable, War At Sea’s winning streak includes two starts at a mile on turf in recent months - a maiden special weight race on March 5 in his sixth career race, and an allowance race on April 16.

The winning streak coincides with Smith taking the mount.

:: Win big at Santa Anita: Get DRF Past Performances, Picks, Clocker Reports and Betting Strategies.

“He’s a talented colt,” Smith said. “Ron has given him time.”

Smith had War At Sea within 1 1/2 lengths of the front throughout, following 9-1 pacesetter Beef Winslow, who set a slow pace of 24.68 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 49.46 for a half-mile. On the turn, War At Sea was joined in pursuit of Beef Winslow by 3-5 favorite Balnikhov. In the stretch, Balnikhov could not sustain the threat while War At Sea moved closer to Beef Winslow.

Cabo Spirit, who was last early, closed well to finish a length in front of Beef Winslow, who held third. Balnikhov faded to finish fourth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths, and was followed by Red Road in the small field.

Balnikhov was favored on the basis of a second in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Churchill Downs on May 7.

“Maybe I ran him back too quick,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

War At Sea, a colt by War Front, has won 3 of 8 starts and earned $170,780. He was purchased at the 2021 Ocala Breeders Sale of 2-year-olds in-training for $525,000.

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports