Supersonic Blue Goes Gate-To-Wire And Wins Stakes Debut In Sunday’s $100,000 John Shear Stakes For 3-Year-Olds Going About 6 ½ Furlongs On Santa Anita’s Hillside Turf Course

SUPERSONIC BLUE GOES GATE-TO-WIRE AND WINS STAKES DEBUT IN SUNDAY’S $100,000 JOHN SHEAR STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS GOING ABOUT 6 ½ FURLONGS ON SANTA ANITA’S HILLSIDE TURF COURSE

ARCADIA, CA (April 6, 2025)— Supersonic Blue looks to be a 3-year-old on the rise for trainer Neil Drysdale following a gate-to-wire victory in Sunday’s $100,000 John Shear Stakes for 3-year-olds going about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

Making his stakes debut under Edwin Maldonado, Supersonic Blue went off as the second-longest shot on the board at 8-1. The gelding by Air Force Blue broke in front, raced alone on the lead through fractions of 22.13 and 43.75 and gamely held off all comers in the stretch to spring the upset. Supersonic Blue won by a half-length over Cali Cat (3-1) and it was another nose back to 6-5 favorite Artislas in third.

“I was thinking if I could make it across the dirt (crossing), I knew I had a little bit of horse,” Maldonado said. “If I could just make it across the dirt without pressure, I knew I had horse at the end and we could finish.”

Supersonic Blue, who races as a homebred for Stepaway Farm, won in a time of 1:12.45.

“He’s young. He has speed on his mind,” Drysdale said.

Supersonic Blue also went gate-to-wire when earning his diploma Jan. 5 when making his second start in a six-furlong maiden race on turf at Santa Anita. Out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Entrechat, Supersonic Blue improved to 3:2-1-0 with $106,800 in earnings.

"We’ve been happy with him all along. He’s shown talent,” Drysdale said. “For Stepaside, I also trained the mother and two brothers, so I know the family well.”

Supersonic Blue paid $19.80, $9.00 and $3.80. Cali Cat, ridden by Juan Hernandez for trainer John Sadler, paid $5.20 and $2.80. Artislas, with Reylu Gutierrez up for trainer Jeff Mullins, paid $2.10.

Sunday was closing day of Santa Anita’s Classic Meet. Live racing will resume on Friday, April 18 with the start of the 29-day Hollywood Meet.