Catalina Cruiser Unstoppable in Pat O'Brien

Trainer John Sadler's plan for Hronis Racing's top two horses for most of the summer at Del Mar has been to get one to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and the other to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

A week after Accelerate  impressively punched his ticket to the Classic with a romp in the TVG Pacific Classic (G1), Catalina Cruiser did his part in the $200,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) Aug. 25 at Del Mar, a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Dirt Mile.

What was supposed to be the showdown of the summer at the seaside racetrack took a substantial hit with the scratches of grade 1 winners Roy H and Ransom the Moon —along with Hronis' other two entries, Horse Greedy and St. Joe Bay—but the big, 4-year-old chestnut did not get off easy in the seven-furlong Pat O'Brien.

After a break from the inside in the field of four, Catalina Cruiser raced inside of early leader Threefiveindia, moved to the front on the rail in the backstretch to post a blazing half-mile fraction of :44.82, and powered away in the stretch to best last year's Dirt Mile winner, Battle of Midway, by 7 1/4 lengths.

"They chose to press him. That's what they wanted to do—their best chance," Sadler said. "But turning for home ... you just know he's going to finish, because he's such a nice horse."

After he opened a clear lead at the top of the lane under jockey Drayden Van Dyke, Catalina Cruiser held a 3 1/2-length advantage through six furlongs in 1:09.37 and hit the wire in 1:22.13.

"He came away from there and was rolling by the second jump," Van Dyke said. "Once he gets going, he's a little hard to stop. As big as he is, and as long as he strides, he's got good balance to him. ... I knew what was going on out there today. I knew where I was with him and who he was running against. He is something.

"I said he was one of the best horses I've ever been on. He just might be the best. He's a cruiser, for sure."

Battle of Midway, who made his first start since last year's Dirt Mile (his stud career was halted because he was subfertile), finished 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Vorticity in third. The fast pace took its toll on Threefiveindia, who finished another 5 3/4 lengths back.

"Good race for my horse," said Battle of Midway's jockey, Flavien Prat. "Very good race. The winner—that's one nice horse."

Undefeated in four starts—including his previous graded win in the July 21 San Diego Handicap (G2)—Catalina Cruiser now has $303,600 in earnings. Bred in Kentucky by W. S. Farish, out of the Mineshaft  mare Sea Gull, he was a $370,000 purchase out of the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Sadler also mentioned after the Pat O'Brien that he was hopeful Catalina Cruiser will eventually make a start in the Jan. 26 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park.