John Sadler

Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing's Flightline (Tapit) turned in one of the more impressive debut performances in recent memory Saturday at Santa Anita to stamp himself as a no brainer 'TDN Rising Star'. Pounded down to 4-5 favoritism into the face of two Bob Baffert firsters, a $650,000 Simon Callaghan trainee and a MyRacehorse runner, the John Sadler pupil and $1-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad broke perhaps a half-step slowly but quickly rushed up through horses to set a pressured pace from the...

Jockey Joel Rosario will replace Umberto Rispoli on unbeaten GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby hero Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Kentucky Derby. The decision came after it was announced that Bob Baffert trainee Concert Tour (Street Sense), who Rosario had ridden in each of his four starts, would skip the Derby and opt for the GI Preakness S. Rosario rode Rock Your World in his turf sprint debut win at Santa Anita Jan. 1, but Rispoli was up for both the Pasadena S. and Santa Anita...

Three Santa Anita-based sophomores headed to the GI Kentucky Derby tuned up Saturday morning over their home track. Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), who will have his fair share of backers off his front-running victory in the GII Louisiana Derby, went three-quarters of a mile in :1.14.20 for two-time Derby-winning conditioner Doug O'Neill. Flavien Prat, who was tabbed earlier this week for the ride, was aboard. "He looked solid. So far, so good," said O'Neill. Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}), who remained perfect in three starts with his front-running success...

The spoils of victory typically come with a nice polish. Gleaming trophies. Glossy plaques. But not always. "He offered me an egg roll at Clocker's Corner on Sunday morning," said trainer John Sadler, on Ron McAnally's act of largesse the day after Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}), the horse the veteran conditioner bred, careened away with the GI Santa Anita Derby. "It was pretty good, but I don't think it was breakfast food," Sadler added, tongue firmly in cheek, before explaining that McAnally-who also trained both Rock Your World's...

The card for the 84th GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby produced all-sources pari-mutuel handle of $24,282,400 Saturday. This was the largest Santa Anita Derby day handle since 2007. In addition, fans returned to the Arcadia oval on a restricted basis, with 8,246 on-track for the 12-race program. It was the first time in over a year that fans were allowed back at Santa Anita since the COVID-19 pandemic began last winter. Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) saluted in the day's feature event, the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby for...

Hronis Racing and Talla Racing's Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) threw his hat in the ring for the GI Kentucky Derby with a front-running upset in his first try on dirt in Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. A debut winner sprinting on the grass at Santa Anita on New Year's Day, the $650,000 KEESEP purchase scored a decisive victory in the one-mile Pasadena S. over the local lawn Feb. 27. He prepped for this with a best-of-82 five-furlongs in :59 1/5 over the Arcadia main track Mar. 28....

9th-SA, $61K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 7:30p.m. Hronis Racing LLC and David Michael Talla's ROCK YOUR WORLD (CandyRide {Arg}) kicks off his career for John Sadler. Coming off a steady stream of breezes in preparation for this unveiling, the February foal was a $650,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, the co-second highest price for the stallion in 2019. Joel Rosario gets the call. TJCIS PPs

Hronis Racing's Grade I-winning millionaire Gift Box (Twirling Candy--Special Me, by Unbridled's Song) has been retired from racing and will take up stud duties in 2021 at Lane's End Farm. On the board in the GII Remsen S. as a juvenile and second in the Curlin S. at Saratoga as a sophomore, Gift Box joined the John Sadler barn in the second half of his 5-year-old season and immediately bested GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile hero Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) in the GII San Antonio S. in December of...

In a settlement agreement and mutual release with the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), leading California trainer John Sadler has been fined $15,000 and handed a 60-day suspension--45 days of which are stayed--for three medication violations dating from 2019. The suspension runs June 29 through June 13. As part of the agreement, Sadler has been placed on probation for one year, ending June 28, 2021. If he incurs any medication violations during that period, the 45 days of stayed suspension will be imposed following a noticed hearing. As first reported...

The late-blooming 5-year-old Midcourt (Midnight Lute) will look to record his first win at the highest level in Saturday's GI Hollywood Gold Cup. The authoritative 2019 GIII Native Diver S. and 2020 GII San Pasqual S. winner was a close third as the 3-5 favorite when last seen going this same 1 1/4-mile distance in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 7. Trainer John Shirreffs takes off the blinkers for this. Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), fifth in this race last year, broke through in a big way with a dominating...

3rd-SA, $55K, Msw, 3yo/up, 5 1/2fT, 5:05 p.m. ET Well-regarded first-time starters from the Bob Baffert and John Sadler barns highlight this turf sprint early on Friday's card at Santa Anita. J Z MY MAN (American Pharoah) commanded $410,000 at Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream last spring following a :10 3/5 furlong breeze and has backed up that pricetag in the mornings for Baffert, showing a steady series of sharp works going back to late December capped by a best-of-219 bullet half in :47 3/5 Mar. 16 at Santa Anita. His dam, four-time...

John Sadler's chance at a record-setting third straight win in the GI Santa Anita H. looked imperiled when he had to scratch morning-line favorite Gift Box (Twirling Candy) Saturday morning, but the trainer was able to pick up the historic achievement when Combatant (Scat Daddy) came home first in the 1 1/4-mile race Saturday afternoon. "It was a great day; we were just thrilled," said Sadler, who also sent out Flagstaff (Speightstown) to take the GII San Carlos S. Saturday. "To win our third Big 'Cap in a row is...