Hronis Racing's Cistron (The Factor) went straight to the front and never looked back to secure his first Grade I and a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint in Saturday's GI Bing Crosby S. at Del Mar. Seizing the early advantage, the 9-2 shot zipped through an opening quarter in :22.10 with favored Recruiting Ready (Algorithms), Chief Cicatriz (Munnings) and recent Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age topper Jalen Journey (With Distinction) hot on his heels. Continuing to dictate terms through a half in :45.16, the bay was confronted by Cal-bred and last out Thor's Echo S. romper Desert Law (Desert Code) at the top of the stretch, but Cistron kept on finding, holding that runner at bay to secure the victory. Jalen Journey held on for third while Recruiting Ready and Chief Cicatriz faded.
“The way we were drawn, we knew we'd have to go to the front,” said winning trainer John Sadler. “It looked like there was a lot of speed in the race, but we didn't really have a choice to change our style. Once he got away and got in the clear he gets energy from that. He had a super work over this track, a bullet six furlongs in 1:13 4/5 (1/8) July 20], and he showed up for the big race today. We've got so many moveable parts [versatile horses] I'm not sure what's next, but if he runs again here it will be in the [GII] Pat O'Brien [S. Aug. 24].”
Scoring his first two wins on turf early on in his career, Cistron secured his first black-type victory on the main track in Oaklawn's 2017 Northern Spur S. going 1 1/16 miles. Campaigned solely on turf in 2018, the $180,000 KEESEP buy secured a listed stakes placings, but no wins in seven starts. Off the board in the GIII Joe Hernandez S. sprinting over the Santa Anita lawn on New Year's Day, the 5-year-old completed the exacta in the grassy Clocker's Corner S. sprinting at Santa Anita Jan. 27 and was fourth in a turf sprint allowance there Feb. 22. Switched back to the main track for the first time since August 2017, Cistron romped by 5 1/4 lengths in the GII Kona Gold S. at Santa Anita Apr. 20 and missed by just a head to the reopposing Air Strike (Street Sense) last time in the GII Triple Bend S. on the Arcadia main track May 25.
Pedigree Notes:
Cistron is just the second Grade I scorer for his sire The Factor and one of six graded winners and 22 black-type winners for the Lane's End stallion. Breeder St. George Farm purchased his dam Major Allie (Officer), a daughter of GSW & GISP Nervous Baba (Raja Baba), for $100,000 as a 2-year-old at the 2006 Keeneland April Sale and she was winless in eight starts for them. The 15-year-old mare did have foals in 2016 or 2017, but produced an English Channel filly in 2018 and an Honor Code filly Mar. 8 of this year.
Saturday, Del Mar
BING CROSBY S.-GI, $300,702, Del Mar, 7-27, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.95, ft.
1–CISTRON, 121, h, 5, by The Factor
1st Dam: Major Allie, by Officer
2nd Dam: Nervous Baba, by Raja Baba
3rd Dam: Nervous Queen, by Nervous Energy
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($180,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Hronis Racing
LLC; B-St. George Farm, LLC (KY); T-John W. Sadler; J-Victor
Espinoza. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 27-5-7-6, $700,719.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: C+.
2–Desert Law, 119, g, 5, Desert Code–Treasure Chest, by
Lemon Drop Kid. O/B-Harris Farms (CA); T-Carla Gaines.
$60,000.
3–Jalen Journey, 119, r, 4, With Distinction–Petunia Face, by
Congrats. ($14,000 Ylg '16 OBSAUG; $510,000 4yo '19
FTKHRA). O-Rockingham Ranch and David A Bernsen LLC;
B-Dennis Foster & Edward Pendray (FL); T-Peter Miller.
$36,000.
Margins: HF, 2 1/4, 2HF. Odds: 4.80, 5.30, 4.80.
Also Ran: Air Strike, Line Judge, Recruiting Ready, Chief Cicatriz. Scratched: Calexman. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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