Combatant Gets Up to Win Santa Anita Handicap
Description:
The winning team of Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler made it a three-peat March 7 when Combatant got up in the late stages to win the $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
Ridden by Joel Rosario, who picked up the mount earlier on the in the day when favorite Gift Box was scratched from the race, Combatant traveled just off the pace in fourth through much of the 1 1/4-mile race dueling with Multiplier as longshot Brown Storm showed the way early. The pair bided their time before angling out at the top of the lane and set down for the drive. Multiplier and Midcourt dueled hard to take the lead from Combatant but the son of Scat Daddy saved his best kick for last and surged forward to win in a final time of 2:02.32.
Multiplier held for second followed by Midcourt in third.
Hronis Racing and Sadler won the Santa Anita Handicap in 2019 with Gift Box and in 2018 with champion Accelerate .
This story will be updated.
Video: Santa Anita H. (G1)