Kiss Today Goodbye Pulls Off 15-1 San Antonio Surprise
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Kiss Today Goodbye wins the San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita Park
The San Antonio Stakes (G2) was first contested in 1935.
In all that time, a 3-year-old had never won the 1 1/16-mile stakes.
So, in a year as unprecedented as 2020, it should come as no surprise that not only did a 3-year-old win the latest renewal of the San Antonio, but sophomore runners finished 1-2.
Blowing past the dueling leaders in the final furlong, John Sondereker's Kiss Today Goodbye and jockey Mike Smith powered to a half-length victory in the $200,000 San Antonio with fellow 3-year-old Idol taking second in the Dec. 26 stakes at Santa Anita Park.
"The pace gods were on our side," trainer Eric Kruljac said after his colt rallied from last in a field of six that included Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) winner Mucho Gusto, who was fourth as the 1-2 favorite.
Though the San Antonio marked Kiss Today Goodbye's first start in a graded dirt stakes, the son of Cairo Prince was a close third behind graded stakes winners Thousand Words and Honor A.P. four starts earlier in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar.
"He was always very immature early on and it took him longer to get to where he is, and I think he is really beginning to mature," Kruljac said. "The colt has put it together. He's a late bloomer."
The win was the second in a row for Kiss Today Goodbye, who was unplaced in a pair of grade 2 turf stakes before that. He posted a 2 3/4-length victory in a Nov. 14 allowance optional claiming race at Del Mar in his last start.
For Kruljac, the victory carried the added emotion of being his first stakes win above the grade 3 level since 2012. In a career that dates back to 1986, he has won 1,213 races with earnings of $22.3 million.
"I'm getting on in age," he said. "I'm 69 and you don't know how many more good ones you'll get. I'm a little out of fashion but I guess I still got some good wins left in me. This was the highlight of the last few years for me."
A winner of three of 11 starts, Kiss Today Goodbye increased his earnings to $230,802. Bred by Debmar Stables, he was bought by Sondereker, who collected his first graded stakes win Saturday, for $150,000 from Lisa and Tim Turney's consignment at the 2018 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. He is the second and most recent foal out of the Heatseeker mare Savvy Hester.
Though Kruljac said he would consider running next month in the Pegasus, he said it's more likely that Kiss Today Goodbye will remain in California and point toward the March 6 $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at 1 1/4 miles.
"The longer the better it will be for him," said Kruljac, who credited Sondereker with pushing for the San Antonio over another allowance spot. "The way he's going, he should be quite a bit more horse six months from now. All good things happen in good time."
Jay Em Ess Stable's Take the One O One, the 29-1 outsider, set the early pace in the field of six, with Mucho Gusto 1 1/2 lengths behind after a half-mile in :47.81.
Mucho Gusto, making his first start for trainer Bob Baffert since a fourth-place finish in the Feb. 29 Saudi Cup, launched a bid for the lead on the final turn, but came up empty in the stretch and settled for fourth, 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner.
While Calvin Nguyen's Idol launched a bid along the rail to make it a line of three battling for the lead at the eighth pole, trouble was brewing outside of them.
"Mike rode him perfectly," Kruljac said.
Last much of the way, Smith kicked Kiss Today Goodbye into top gear as the field turned into the stretch and the dark bay or brown colt surged past the trio in front of him to cross the wire in 1:43.37 for the 1 1/16 miles.
Sent off at 15-1, Kiss Today Goodbye paid $33.60 to win.
"I was impressed with his last race and I wasn't even riding him," Smith said. "He ran by me in that last race. I thank Eric Kruljac for the opportunity of riding him and for his great training job. The race was shaping up for him with the speed up front and when it came time to run, he took off. I just guided him around the track."
Idol, a Curlin 3-year-old coming off a pair of wins at Churchill Downs for trainer Richard Baltas, took second by three-quarters-of-a-length over Take the One O One, an Acclamation 5-year-old trained by Brian Koriner.
Midcourt was fifth, followed by Extra Hope.
Sharp Samurai and Combatant were scratched.