Midcourt Continues Rise With San Pasqual Victory
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Midcourt wins the San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Midcourt, who as a young racehorse didn't want to train, now doesn't want to lose. A maiden in early June, he recorded his fifth victory in his past six races with a romp over longshots Two Thirty Five and Combatant in the $202,000 San Pasqual Stakes (G2) Feb. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
Breaking far better than he had in his lone loss over that stretch—a wide third in the San Antonio Stakes (G2)—Midcourt took charge early in the San Pasqual, just as he had in winning the Nov. 23 Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar. Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza sent him clear from the pack with fractions of :23.50, :47.31, and 1:11.26 in the 1 1/8-mile race.
"That was a key for him," Espinoza said. "I was in a good spot and in great shape all the way around to be able to control the race and have enough at the end. At that point, I started celebrating—but I didn't want to get too excited so early because this is horse racing. Anything can happen."
Nothing happened to ruin his chances Saturday. Although Two Thirty Five and Combatant finished well with stretch bids, they never came close to catching the frontrunner. He hit the wire 3 1/2 lengths in front of Two Thirty Five, who lost to Midcourt for the third consecutive race. Combatant was 2 1/4 lengths back in third, and favored Roadster was a dull seventh.
It was the fourth San Pasqual victory for Espinoza, who won the race with Star Cross (2004), California Chrome (2016), and Accelerate (2018).
Midcourt finished in 1:48.49 on a fast track and returned $6.40 for a $2 win wager.
It was Midcourt's third stakes win after capturing the Comma to the Top Stakes in October at Santa Anita and the Native Diver. He is 5-for-9 with earnings of $342,695 for Lee and Susan Searing, who race as C R K Stable.
In a winner's circle interview, Lee Searing praised trainer John Shirreffs, who took over the temperamental gelding's training after his first two starts.
"When we bought this horse, you don't anticipate that he's not going to want to train," he said. "Yes, we gelded him, but at the same time—John, Victor, the grooms—they've done a marvelous job. If you go back to the barn and see what he has done, the little quirks and things that are different, no wonder the horse has continued to improve."
Midcourt gave Shirreffs his second San Pasqual victory, following Neko Bay in 2010, and the 5-year-old Midnight Lute gelding is poised to head into the $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) Mar. 7 as one of the favorites.
A $450,000 purchase from the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Mayberry Farm from the Four Star Sales consignment, Midcourt was bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farms. He is the second stakes winner produced from the French Deputy mare Mayo On the Side.