Sadler’s Joy Gets Up at Wire to Win $200,000 Pan American (G2)

By David Joseph —-

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Woodslane Farm’s Sadler’s Joy prevailed in a three-horse fight to the finish to win the 56th running of the $200,000 Pan American Stakes (G2) on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

The Tom Albertrani-trained 4-year-old chestnut colt edged Three Diamonds Farm’s Designed for War by a head and posted a winning time of 2:26.89 for 1 ½ miles on a firm turf course.

Sadler’s Joy, with jockey Julien Leparoux, paid $9.40, $5.60 and $3.60. James Karp and James Patterson’s Patterson Cross was third, a neck behind Designed for War.

The race for older horses was the eighth of nine stakes, six graded, worth $2.45 million as part of a card highlighted by the $1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1).

Merriebelle Stable’s Reporting Star, ridden by Javier Castellano, raced to the lead and set fractions of 24.15 seconds, 49.77, 1:15.54 and 1:40.42. Jockey Joel Rosario and Designed for War overtook Reporting Star heading into the far turn, with Starlight Racing’s Snag, with John Velazquez aboard, leading a tightening field right behind.

Sadler’s Joy made his move early in the stretch, then surged after Leparoux went to the whip in mid-stretch and got his head down at the wire.

Winner Quotes

Trainer Tom Albertrani (Sadler’s Joy): ““I got really excited the first time I ever saw this horse run, the way he finished, and it took him a couple of races to kind of put things together. All of sudden, once we got to Saratoga, he broke his maiden and came back with two more nice wins. We gave him a little time. We just felt this horse had a lot of potential. We stepped him up in the McKnight knowing we could run a decent race and hoping for good results. He ran every bit as good as we thought and came short of one jump of winning the race and today we got lucky and got in front this time. I think he’s got so much potential, this horse.”

Julien Leparoux (Sadler’s Joy): “I had a very good trip. I think Taghleeb got the jump on us last time when he came running and finished very strong. Today I was clear all the way so could make my move whenever I wanted it. He finished up good on that track, a speed-favoring track, to come from where we came from, I think that was a good race. I thought I had it, but everybody was not sure, so I was like, ‘Maybe I didn’t get it.’ But I thought I had it.”

Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets.