Freedom’s Not Free a two-length winner of the Pasadena (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. — Freedom’s Not Free is a colt on the rise for trainer Mark Glatt as the 3-year-old earned his first stakes win when stretched out to a mile in Sunday’s $100,000 Pasadena Stakes for sophomores at Santa Anita.
Sent off the 4-5 favorite under Flavien Prat, Freedom’s Not Free tracked pacesetter Friendly Confines (7-1) in second as the latter carved fractions of 23.13, 47.32 and 1:11.33 for six furlongs. Freedom’s Not Free began to cut into Friendly Confines lead on the second turn, collared that rival at the top of the stretch and then edged away late to win by two lengths. Friendly Confines, ridden by Tiago Pereira for trainer Richard Baltas, finished 2 ¾ lengths clear of third-place finisher Fomo Joe (7-1).
Freedom’s Not Free won in a time of 1:35.08
“He jumped well and I was able to get him to the outside of the leader and was travelling well all the way around,” Prat said of his trip. “When I asked him to make a move he responded well. Once he got to the lead, he kind of waited on horses. But Mark told me he would like the distance and he was right.”
As a 2-year-old, Freedom’s Not Free made two starts, both on dirt and with little success. He was then switched to turf for his 3-year-old debut Jan. 5 at Santa Anita and he promptly graduated going six furlongs. It was then on to the Baffle Stakes at about 6 ½ furlongs on Santa Anita’s hillside turf course Feb. 16. Freedom’s Not Free led at the furlong marker that day but was overhauled late to finish third.
A $300,000 auction purchase last year, Freedom’s Not Free improved to 5: 2-0-2 with $118,080 in earnings. He is owned by Blinkers On Racing Stable, Janlois Racing, LLC, Valinor Racing Stable, LLC, Tom Corbett, Adny Kwan and Jay Lester Wagner.
“We were pretty high on him from the get-go, really from the time of the sale,” Glatt said. “His first two dirt efforts were a little less to be desired quite honestly. Maybe he had an excuse here or there in those races.”
“But the Omaha Beach’s have ran well on the turf and when we got him on the turf, he kind of showed us what we might see early on with him.
Glatt added he believes Freedom’s Not Free will likely enjoy going even longer in future races.
“We have thought the further the better with him all along,” Glatt said. “He kind of got stuck in a couple of sprints just for the lack of an alternative place to run him. That was a good win today and I do think a mile and an eighth is certainly within his wheelhouse.”
Freedom’s Not Free paid $3.80, $2.60 and $2.20. Friendly Confines returned $5.40 and $3.20. Fomo Joe, ridden by Edwin Maldonado for trainer Ryan Hanson, paid $3.40. There were two scratches as both Shea Brennan and filly Will Then were withdrawn Sunday morning.
Live racing resumes Friday at Santa Anita with a nine-race card starting at 1 p.m.
