Gift Box to Receive 45 Days Off Before Summer Return

Hronis Racing's Gift Box, who was scratched as the morning-line favorite for the March 7 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at Santa Anita Park with an ankle injury, will be given 45 days off and be pointed toward a midsummer return, trainer John Sadler said.

A 7-year-old son of Twirling Candy , Gift Box developed into one of the top handicap horses of 2019 in California. During the early part of the year, he won the Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino and finished second in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) behind eventual Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner and champion older dirt male Vino Rosso . Later in the season, he finished fourth in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs and first in the Dec. 28 San Antonio Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita in his most recent start.

Even with Gift Box sidelined, Hronis Racing and Sadler have a major player in the division: Combatant, who won the Santa Anita Handicap in Gift Box's absence. The victory by the son of Scat Daddy gave his connections their third consecutive victory in the race. Champion Accelerate  began the streak in 2018.

Prior to Oaklawn Park's March 20 announcement that the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) would be moved from April 18 to May 2, Sadler said  Combatant was a candidate for that race. Once a $1 million race, the Oaklawn Handicap will now be contested for $600,000 as part of the undercard for the rescheduled Arkansas Derby (G1).

Sadler also mentioned Thursday that San Carlos Stakes (G2) winner Flagstaff could return in a race such as Oaklawn's Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3), now with a $350,000 purse April 18. The son of Speightstown  also won the Damascus Stakes last year for owners Hronis Racing and Lane's End Racing. 

Sadler said the rapidly changing racing calendars across the country as tracks manage COVID-19 makes racing plans fluid. "A lot of moving pieces," he said.