Cabo Spirit goes wire to wire under Mike Smith, Santa Anita Park Photo
Santa Anita Park Press
ARCADIA, CA —Veteran 6-year-old gelding Cabo Spirit earned the sixth stakes win of his career when rolling to a front-running victory under Hall of Famer Mike Smith in Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 San Gabriel Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on turf on opening day at Santa Anita.
Sent off the 6-1 fourth choice in a field of 11, Cabo Spirit raced down the middle of the course first time past the finish line before taking a clear lead on the first turn. Cabo Spirit would set fractions of 23.18, 47.14, 1:11.21 and 1:35.44. Entering the stretch, several horses including Astronomer (5-1) ranged up to the leader, but none were able to collar Cabo Spirit. He prevailed by 1 ¼ lengths over Astronomer with another half-length back to Mondego (10-1) in third.
Trained by George Papaprodromou for owner Kretz Racing, Cabo Spirit most recently finished eighth in the GII Seabiscuit at Del Mar on Nov. 29. The son of Pioneerof the Nile’s previous win came in the GIII American in April at Santa Anita.
Cabo’s Spirits six stakes wins include five at the graded level. In addition to this year’s American and San Gabriel, Cabo Spirit last year won the GII California Crown John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita. In 2022, he scored in the GII Twilight Derby, GIII La Jolla and Eddie Logan Stakes. With the latest victory, Cabo Spirit upped his record to 39: 7-5-6 with $1,346,836 in earnings.
Cabo Spirit paid $14.80, $6.60 and $5.00. Astronomer, who had Jose Ortiz aboard in place of scheduled rider Antonio Fresu, is trained by Simon Callaghan. He returned $6.60 and $4.60. Mondego, with Flavien Prat up for trainer Michael McCarthy, paid $6.00.
