Masochistic to Make Graded Debut in Kona Gold

Masochistic, the horse at the center of recent controversy involving former trainer A.C. Avila, will make his graded stakes debut under new trainer Ron Ellis in the $200,000 Kona Gold (gr. II) April 11 at Santa Anita Park.



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Owned by Los Pollos Hermanos Racing and Jay Em Ess Stable, the 5-year-old by Sought After has excelled at the Kona Gold's 6 1/2 furlong distance, winning allowance/optional claiming events of the same length at Del Mar last July and at Santa Anita Feb. 28.

"I've had him for a month and he's shown extreme talent, but he hasn't shown it in a stakes yet, so that's what we're looking for," Ellis said. "Every workout we've had with him has been amazing. Now it's time to see if he can take that step up into stakes company."



The speedy gelding won both races in gate-to-wire fashion—and will break from post 6 under first-time rider Tyler Baze, who is taking over for Victor Espinoza—but the Kona Gold figures to be hotly contested from the start.



Six of the seven entrants in the Kona Gold have set the pace or been almost exclusively forwardly-placed in previous races.

"That's the thing you worry about with these kinds of horses," Ellis said. "He's had it easy on the front end, but sometimes when you step up in class, you have to learn a new way to run."

The lone closer, however, is the most accomplished horse in the field.



A four-time graded stakes winner, Sahara Sky has more than $1.1 million in earnings, with an 8-4-4 record almost entirely for trainer and co-owner Jerry Hollendorfer, who purchased him privately with Kim Lloyd after his debut win in a $20,000 maiden claiming race at Delta Downs in 2010. The 7-year-old by Pleasant Tap most notably won the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) at Belmont Park in 2013, but has also been victorious in the San Carlos Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita twice (2013 and 2014), as well as the Palos Verdes (gr. II) in 2013.



Since the Met Mile score, Sahara Sky has missed out on the winner's circle in three tries—a second in the Carter Handicap (gr. I) at Aqueduct Racetrack last April, a seventh-place finish in the Churchill Downs Stakes (gr. II) last May, and a sixth-place finish in the Triple Bend Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita in June. He will break from post 4 under leading Santa Anita jockey Rafael Bejarano, who will be in the irons on the horse for the first time.



If all goes as expected, the lone millionaire in the field should be following Masochistic, along with fellow speedsters (in order, from the rail) Spirit Rules, winner of the Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint; Bob Baffert-trained allowance/optional claiming winner Caminetto; grade I-placed Seeking the Sherif; three-time allowance winner San Onofre; and consistent sprinter Ankeny Hill.