Battle of Midway Dominant in Comma to the Top Stakes

It wasn't on the biggest stage like his last victory, but Don Alberto Stable and WinStar Farm's Battle of Midway found his way back to the winner's circle Oct. 28 in the $75,000 Comma to the Top Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Just less than a year ago, the Smart Strike colt sprung a 14-1 upset in the Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar. Sent off to stud duty where he was diagnosed subfertile, Battle of Midway went back into training with Jerry Hollendorfer in May, finished a far-back second to this year's Dirt Mile favorite, Catalina Cruiser, in his racing return at Del Mar in the Aug. 25 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2), and followed that effort with a fifth-place run in the one-turn Kelso Handicap (G2) Sept. 22.

Back at Santa Anita, where he has never finished out of the top three, Battle of Midway was dominant Sunday under regular jockey Flavien Prat, who kept him in the clear, three wide, through most of the one-mile dirt test.

Any lost ground had little effect, however, in the final turn. Pacesetter St. Joe Bay set fractions of :23.23 and :46.70 through a half-mile, but Battle of Midway put his head in front through six furlongs in 1:11.10 and pulled away in the stretch to win by 4 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:36.87. All Out Blitz, who pressed the pace in the backstretch, edged St. Joe Bay by a half-length for second.

"He's got a lot of natural speed, and he settled very nice," Prat said. "He's a very classy horse, and the two turns probably helped him today."

Longshot Very Very Stella finished fourth and was followed by last-out Shared Belief Stakes winner Tatters to Riches and South American group 1 winner Roman Rosso to complete the order of finish.

"The key today was getting him back to two turns," said Hollendorfer assistant Dan Ward. "From here, Jerry would like to go next in the (Nov. 25) Native Diver (G3 at Del Mar), the (Dec. 26) San Antonio (G2 at Santa Anita), and if all goes well, the (Jan. 26) Pegasus (World Cup Invitational, G1 at Gulfstream Park)."

Bred in Kentucky by Thor-Bred Stables, out of the grade 1-winning Concerto mare Rigoletta, Battle of Midway now has a 6-3-2 record from 13 starts and $1,349,049 in earnings. He was a $410,000 purchase by Fox Hill Farm from Gainesway's consignment to Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale in 2015.

Video: Comma to the Top S. (BT)