Cabo Spirit Overtakes Rivals Late in La Jolla Handicap
Image:
Description:
Photo: Benoit Photo
Cabo Spirit wins the La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar
Kretz Racing’s Cabo Spirit , back in the crowd for the first half of La Jolla Handicap (G3T), put on the blasters late and reeled them all in to score by half a length Aug. 7 at Del Mar | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Del Mar.
The 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile had been gelded since his previous start and the procedure certainly seemed to have a positive effect for the youngster as he earned his first graded stakes victory.
Cabo Spirit ($7.40), ridden by Joe Bravo and trained by George Papaprodromou, picked up a winner’s share of $90,000 from the gross purse of $150,500 to push his total earnings to $312,560. The La Jolla was his 13th start and he completed the 1 1/16-mile race on firm turf in 1:42.28.
Finishing second in the La Jolla was Gary Barber’s Perfect Flight , who had three-quarters of a length on Perry and Ramona Bass’ Sumter , the race favorite at 9-5.
“I was a little worried he got kind of far back but Joe rode him patiently and nicely and then made a move on the turn and he just exploded," Papaprodromou said. "Del Mar Derby (G2T) (Sept. 3) is next.”
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Cabo Spirit is out of the winning Shamardal mare Fancy Day. The other starter for Fancy Day is Convention, a winning, stakes-placed son of Constitution . Cabo Spirit most recently sold for $575,000 at the 2021 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where he was purchased by Gayle Van Leer from the Eddie Woods consignment.