California Shipper Ralis Upsets Hopeful Stakes

Ralis was all alone at the wire in the Hopeful Stakes. (Photos by NYRA/Coglinese Photos)
Shipping in from California for the $350,000 Hopeful Stakes on Monday, Ralis proved that the New York 2-year-olds were no match for him when winning by 5 ¾ lengths.
Magna Light, regarded as one of the top 2-year-olds in Saratoga this summer, set the pace in the seven furlong race, leading Ralis and the other frontrunners by a length or more down most of the backstretch. By the top of the stretch, it was obvious he would have a fight on his hands if he wanted to win the Hopeful with Ralis running right next to him.
The pair put in an entertaining duel before Ralis shook off Magna Light inside the final furlong and pulled away to stop the clock in a time of 1:22.30 for the seven furlongs. Magna Light was approached by a familiar foe near the wire in Uncle Vinny, who had finished one spot behind him in the Sanford Stakes but earned the win when Magna Light was disqualified in that race. Today, Magna Light kept the second placing with Uncle Vinny third and Sallisaw fourth. 
RALIS WINNING THE HOPEFUL STAKES

"He broke well out of the gate today. I thought he was going to be a little too far back," jockey Javier Castellano said. "He broke sharp from the gate. He had a great post outside to take a bit of a nice hold and to see how the race developed in the first quarter. He had a great position outside. It was perfect. It was a perfect trip. I'm very blessed to ride that horse."
Breaking his maiden in his second start by 4 ½ lengths, Ralis had been winless in two stakes starts since then. In his last start, he finished second in the Graduation Stakes with the winning Mrazek having the same owner, breeder, trainer and sire as Ralis.
Today, Ralis had Castellano aboard for the first time. That jockey booking was a huge deal as Castellano won nearly every major stakes there was to win this summer at Saratoga. Castellano is already looking forward to the future with Ralis, thinking the colt may be a good Triple Crown contender.
"It's really exciting because I don't think I've won the Hopeful before in my career. I think that is the kind of horse we are looking for for next year. I'm looking forward to next year," he said.
Ralis is by Square Eddie, who was also trained by the same owner-trainer combo of Paul Reddam (who also bred Ralis) and Doug O’Neill.
Square Eddie finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and was a Grade 1 winner at 1 1/16 miles while Ralis’ damsire Ten Most Wanted won the 2013 Travers Stakes so all indications are that the 2-year-old colt should only get better as the distances get longer later this year.
Going off at odds of 6.90-to-1, the third longest shot on the board, Ralis paid $15.80 to win. For an Equibase chart of the race, click here.