Cistron Makes Short Work of Short Field in Kona Gold
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Photo: BENOIT PHOTO
Cistron is alone at the wire in the Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Call it creativity, call it seized opportunity.
Either way, a lack of rival speed and a change in surfaces from one month to the next resulted in an all-out rout April 20 by Cistron in the $200,000 Kona Gold Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.
Raced exclusively on turf in his past 13 starts and entered off a runner-up finish in the March 31 San Simeon Stakes (G3T), Hronis Racing's 5-year-old son of The Factor made short work of a short field on dirt in the 6 1/2-furlong Kona Gold, his first graded stakes win.
"When we saw this race was coming up light and there wasn't much speed, we decided to supplement," trainer John Sadler said.
He was gunned from the gate by jockey Victor Espinoza and took control of four rivals from the start, maintaining a one-length advantage through a :22.07 opening quarter and a two-length advantage as the half went in :44.70.
By the time he hit the stretch, Cistron opened a four-length lead, and he drew off to a 5 1/4-length advantage at the wire. The final time was 1:16.33 on a fast track.
All Out Blitz, who chased throughout, was second-best, and Dr. Dorr finished third. Kanthaka and Zatter completed the order of finish.
"The important thing for me and the horse today was that he broke running," said Espinoza. "He was able to take control right away, and at the sixteenth pole, I said, 'Where is everybody?' He ran great all the way to the wire."
Despite making 19 of his 25 starts on turf, Cistron has won significantly on dirt before. In 2017, he took the Northern Spur Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park.
"We wanted to be flexible. He's been sprinting on the turf and running well, but he's been training well on dirt," said Sadler. "We decided to take a shot, and it worked out. We want to be creative with where we're entering."
"He always works nice on the dirt, and he seems to like this track," owner Kosta Hronis said. "He's a pretty versatile horse. I guess not having the (hillside turf course) available made it an easy choice to put him back on dirt. It seems to be his distance. If he gets a nice, easy lead, he's usually pretty tough."
Bred in Kentucky by St. George Farm out of the Officer mare Major Allie, Cistron was a $180,000 purchase by D.M.I. for Hronis Racing from the Lane's End consignment to the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His record now stands at 4-6-6, with earnings of $480,719. Major Allie produced an English Channel filly in 2018 and dropped a daughter of Honor Code March 8.