Missed the Cut Scrapes Paint And Takes Grade III, $100,000 San Marcos Stakes

MISSED THE CUT SCRAPES PAINT AND TAKES GRADE III, $100,000 SAN MARCOS STAKES BY 1 ¼ LENGTHS AS HE GETS 1 ¼ MILES ON TURF IN 2:01.14

ARCADIA, CA (Feb. 10, 2024)—Ridden for the first time by Joel Rosario, John Sadler’s Missed the Cut squeezed through at the rail turning for home and repelled the late charge of Brazilian-bred Planetario to take Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 San Marcos Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths while getting a mile and one quarter over a turf course listed as good in 2:01.14.

With a hillside start and a short run to the dirt crossing, Balladeer, as expected went to the front and led to the quarter pole with Missed the Cut biding his time at the rail.  With a handful of horse under him, Rosario waited until Irish Prophet angled outside the pacesetter and then somehow squeezed through a tight opening at the fence with just over a furlong to run.

Although Planetario, a highly accomplished deep closer had good momentum while unencumbered, Missed the Cut was able to outrun him to the line in a solid performance.

Most recently second to highly regarded Easter going a mile and one eighth on turf here in the Grade II San Gabriel Dec. 26, Missed the Cut, a Grade III winner on dirt three starts back for Sadler, was off as the 6-5 favorite in a field of six older horses and paid $4.40, $2.60 and $2.10.

A 5-year-old full horse by Quality Road out of the English-bred mare Beauly, Missed the Cut now has two stakes wins in seven stateside starts for Sadler.  Originally based in England, Missed the Cut, who is owned by Bee Zee, LLC, Lanes End Racing, St. Elias Stables, LLC, Edward Babington, Edward Hudson, Jr. and Lynne Hudson, is now 14-6-2-0 overall.  With today’s winner’s share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $385,777.

Planetario, who made an eye-catching move at the rail around the far turn, was second best on the day and paid $3.20 and $2.20 while off as the second choice at 2-1.  Ridden by Hector Berrios for Richard Mandella, he finished 5 ¼ lengths in front of Balladeer, who was disqualified to fourth for bumping Irish Prophet in deep stretch.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Irish Prophet sat second to the top of the lane and via the DQ, paid $3.00 to show while off at 11-1.

Fractions on the race were 23.55, 47.80, 1:12.35 and 1:37.46.