El Potente captures the Thunder Road (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. — El Potente was bet down to the 3-2 favorite and promptly rolled to a dominant three-length victory under Hector Berrios in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes going a mile at Santa Anita.
Trained by Dan Blacker, El Potente tracked pacesetter Air Force Red (7-1) in second, drew on even terms with the leader at the top of stretch and kicked clear late to earn his first stakes win. He won in a sharp final time of 1:32.39 after tracking fractions of 22.63, 46.17 and 1:09.43.
“He responded perfectly,” Berrios said of the winner.
Seal Team (5-2), the morning line favorite, rallied for second under Umberto Rispoli for trainer Richard Mandella. Air Force Red held on for third with Zio Jo (11-1) completing the superfecta.
Since arriving at Santa Anita from Oaklawn Park in January 2023, El Potente has won 6-of-10 starts while never being worse than third. In his only previous stakes try, the 6-year-old horse by Temple City was third, beaten just three-quarters of a length in the restricted Lure Stakes going a mile on turf in October at Santa Anita.
“A lot of credit goes to Hector,” Blacker said. “He really gets him to switch off and he runs for him too. You can see when he asks him to go, that turn of foot. I think he responds really well for Hector.”
El Potente, who is owned by My Way Racing LLC, improved his overall record to 14: 6-2-2 with $248,796 in earnings.
“It was just patience,” Blacker explained of El Potente’s ascent to being a stakes winner. “He needed time to really mature and reach his peak. We just gave him time when he needed it. (Owner Mike Way) has been so patient and allowed him to do it. Now we are reaping the rewards.”
El Potente paid $5.00, $3.20 and $2.40. Seal Team returned $4.00 and $2.40. Air Force Red, ridden by Juan Hernandez for trainer Leonard Powell, paid $4.00.
