Hronis Purchase Frontier Market Lands in Thunder Road

At a time when Southern California is facing a horse shortage—Santa Anita Park suspended Thursday racing this month and has averaged fewer than 7.5 starters per race since its meet began Dec. 28—owners Kosta and Pete Hronis of Hronis Racing have added some fresh blood to the West Coast.

Known for their acquisitions of off-the-track runners in the midst of their careers, one of the brothers' latest purchases is set to run Feb. 8 in the $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita where Frontier Market makes his first start for them against nine rivals in a one-mile turf test. His participation comes three months after he was bought by bloodstock agent David Ingordo for $170,000 from the ELiTE consignment at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

"We're all Californians—the Hronis brothers, I'm Californian, spent my whole career there," said trainer John Sadler. "We've had some very good years. So we're just trying to keep it going. We know you have to refresh the stable. I do bring in fresh horses. We're hopeful for California racing and we're still in there playing the game."

Every entrant in the Thunder Road has already earned black type, led by five graded winners: Majestic Eagle, True Valour, Mugaritz, River Boyne, and Kingly. Another three, Ronald R, The Hunted, and Take the One O One, are lesser stakes winners, and the remaining two, Frontier Market and Camino Del Paraiso are stakes placed.

Although yet to win a stakes race, late-running Frontier Market seems likely to vie for favoritism—tabbed by morning-line oddsmaker Jon White as the 4-1 second choice behind True Valour at 7-2. Frontier Market comes off a 2019 season in which he went 1-2-1 in four starts for his prior connections of owners Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence and trainer Chad Brown, a campaign that included a second in the Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) at Laurel Park and a third Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack in his final races of the year.

Video: Artie Schiller S. (BT)

Those races, like the Thunder Road, came at his best distance of a mile. His lone win in 2019 and two victories in 2018 also came over the same trip.

"He had speed figures that we liked and he vetted very well. So we bought him," Sadler said of the acquisition. "It looks like he should be a good racehorse and we'll expect a good effort on Saturday."

The 7-year-old old Lemon Drop Kid  gelding largely fits the profile of other past Hronis Racing success stories such as Higher Power, who captured the $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic in 2019, and Gift Box, last year's Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1) victor. Sadler is pointing Gift Box toward a defense of that title next month. Former competitors in the South or East, both horses flourished in California under Sadler's direction.

Flavien Prat will ride Frontier Market from post 7.

Another proven miler is defending champion True Valour, who triumphed in the City of Hope Mile (G3T) at Santa Anita last fall before running 10th in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) and eighth in the Jan. 1 Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T) over a short 5 1/2-furlong trip. Within striking distance in the Joe Hernandez, he failed to fire while racing three wide without cover. His better races in the U.S. have come when he has drafted behind horses before being shown daylight.

European rider Andrea Atzeni, riding at Santa Anita a bit this winter, will try to work out that trip for owner/trainer Simon Callaghan, which seems possible from post 4. Atzeni road True Valour to win the 2019 Thunder Road when River Boyne was a tough-trip fourth.

Video: Thunder Road S. (G3T)

The speed is on the far outside with comebacking Take the One O One and the impeccably bred Kingly (by Tapit ). The latter is half brother to 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner (G1) and sire New Year's Day and a full brother to multiple graded stakes winner and stallion Mohaymen  and to current Triple Crown trail prospect Enforceable, winner of the Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots last month.

Entries: Thunder Road S. (G3T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 08, 2020, Race 7

• Grade IIIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $100,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 3:31 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Ronald R (IRE)	Drayden Van Dyke	124	Ronald W. Ellis	6/1
2	2The Hunted (CA)	Geovanni Franco	122	Richard Baltas	8/1
3	3Majestic Eagle (KY)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	122	Neil D. Drysdale	5/1
4	4True Valour (IRE)	Andrea Atzeni	124	Simon Callaghan	7/2
5	5Mugaritz (KY)	Mike E. Smith	124	Jonathan Wong	8/1
6	6River Boyne (IRE)	Abel Cedillo	122	Jeff Mullins	5/1
7	7Frontier Market (KY)	Flavien Prat	122	John W. Sadler	4/1
8	8Camino Del Paraiso (CA)	Tiago Josue Pereira	122	O. J. Jauregui	12/1
9	9Take the One O One (CA)	Brice Blanc	120	Brian J. Koriner	20/1
10	10Kingly (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	122	Bob Baffert	12/1