John Sadler

With Hurricane Hilary approaching from the south over the next 24-48 hours, officials at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club announced early Saturday morning that the live racing program scheduled for Sunday would be canceled. "For the safety of everyone involved--our horses, our riders and all the workers, staff and fans--we have made the decision to cancel Sunday's races," DMTC President and COO Josh Rubinstein said Saturday morning. "Unfortunately, the forecast calls for substantial rain and winds that appear to be headed our way. We are hopeful this will only be...

7th-LRC, $45K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 7:05 p.m. Trainer John Sadler debuts LEVON (Practical Joke) for Talla Racing and Central Dispatch (Arrogate) for Hronis Racing. The stablemates both worked a bullet five furlongs from the gate in :59 1/5 (1/12) at Los Alamitos June 10. The former is a $750,000 KEESEP buy whose dam Gal Factor (The Factor) counts GI Arkansas Derby hero Super Stock (Dialed In) as a half brother. Trainer Bob Baffert will saddle first-time starter Confucius (Candy Ride {Arg}) whose dam Mumtaazah (Tapit) is a half-sister to...

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association is hosting an Owner Clinic on Friday, July 28 in Del Mar, California. Attendees will learn insights on different aspects of Thoroughbred ownership, partnerships, legal aspects, racing office policy & procedures, veterinary perspectives, and more from industry professionals as well as enjoy a day at the races, compliments of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. The topics and speakers at the clinic include: • Overview of the California Thoroughbred Industry, presented by Bill Nader (Thoroughbred Owners of California, President & CEO) • Horse Owner or...

DEAUVILLE, France--Close to €38 million had already been spent on juveniles at the four breeze-up sales in Europe to have preceded Arqana, and that figure has now risen to around €59 million following a bullish day of trading in Deauville. Featuring the season's only seven-figure breezer and with a much larger catalogue than usual, it was no surprise to see turnover increase, though a near-50% upturn was perhaps even better than anticipated, with the 140 sold bringing in a total of €21,110,500 to ring the new record bell. Other indicators...

DEAUVILLE, France--It would seem that Arqana has pulled off the impossible. Ask ten different people at the sales a certain question and you'd usually end up with ten different opinions. But there is one thing on which everyone patrolling the sales grounds in Deauville can apparently agree, and that is that a pretty stellar line-up of horses has been assembled for the Arqana Breeze-up Sale. The only thing they can't agree on is which horse is likely to top the sale. We'll know that by Saturday evening, and it is...

The lure of winning top-level dirt races in America has prompted the owners of Missed The Cut (Quality Road) to transfer the Royal Ascot winner from Newmarket trainer George Boughey to John Sadler's California-based barn. Missed The Cut propelled Boughey onto the big stage when landing the Golden Gates S. Handicap at the royal meeting last year but disappointed as a 13-8 favorite when only managing fourth behind Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G3 Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia when last seen.  A decision was made shortly after...

12th-Santa Anita, $75,888, Alw, 4-8, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, f/m, 1m (off turf), 1:37.10, ft, 6 lengths. ANCIENT PEACE (f, 3, War Front--Deceptive Vision {GSW & GISP-Can, GSW-USA, $501,441}, by A.P. Indy), off the board in her one-mile turf debut at Del Mar last December, graduated by a front-running 4 1/4 lengths going that same distance over the Santa Anita lawn Dec. 30 for Mike Ryan and trainer Graham Motion, just days before selling for $650,000 to Travis Boersma's Boardshorts Stables at this year's Keeneland January sale. Ryan had purchased the well-bred...

7th-Santa Anita, $72,500, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($100,000), 3-27, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22.07, ft, 2 lengths. ANYWHO (f, 3, Bolt d'Oro--Fancy and Flashy {SP}, by Zensational) , making her first start in the Hronis Racing colors, took her record to a perfect two-for-two with a determined victory at Santa Anita Monday. The 9-2 shot prompted the pace of longshot Liberal Lady (Mor Spirit), quickened on the bend to challenge the pacesetter and grabbed the lead into the stretch. She shrugged off favored Coffee in Bed (Curlin) down the lane and sailed...

As noted by colleague Bill Finley earlier in the week, we've just passed the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's sophomore debut. Yet even two years ago hardly anyone had heard of an unraced son of Tapit, meanwhile acclaimed by many as the best American Thoroughbred since. Okay, so he had been a seven-figure yearling; and everyone who had participated in his education knew that he was something special. In fact, John Sadler was so aware of the impending responsibility that he was saying nothing. For one thing, if people had any...

North America's richest horse Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) is among the nine equine finalists for the 2023 National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame class. Additionally, six trainers and one jockey account for the 16 total individuals who will make up the ballot, which will be chosen by the Museum's Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. The other finalists are Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision), California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit), Game On Dude (Awesome Again), Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), Kona Gold (Java Gold), Lady Eli (Divine Park), Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), and...

Flightline not only garnered the Older Dirt Male Eclipse Award, but his impressive performances throughout 2022 earned him the right at this coveted prize—Horse of the Year. FLIGHTLINE We may never see another one quite like him again. Crowned as Longines World's Best Racehorse in London last week, Flightline, to absolutely no one's surprise, added Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male honors at Thursday evening's Eclipse Awards. The unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' ran to his unworldly reputation and then some by concluding his six-for-six career with a...

Malathaat and Flightline finished their careers in style at the Breeders' Cup that led to their crowning as the most-talented older female and male in North America. MALATHAAT A star every step of the way, Malathaat hails from Barbara Banke's stellar Stonestreet program out of a second-generation Grade I winner by a two-time Horse of the Year turned elite sire. In a feat for the ages, Stonestreet bred all three finalists in this division, while Godolphin did the same in the male turf division. Malathaat brought seven figures as a...