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Veteran Cabo Spirit Goes Gate-To-Wire In Sunday’s Grade III, American Stakes For Older Horses Going A Mile On Turf At Santa Anita
4/20/2025
VETERAN CABO SPIRIT GOES GATE-TO-WIRE IN SUNDAY’S GRADE III, AMERICAN STAKES FOR OLDER HORSES GOING A MILE ON TURF AT SANTA ANITA
ARCADIA, CA (April 20, 2025)— Veteran campaigner Cabo Spirit added to his million-dollar bankroll Sunday when earning a front-running victory under Hall of Famer Mike Smith in the Grade III, $100,000 American Stakes for older horses going a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
Trained by George Papaprodromou, Cabo Spirit (6-1) broke in front and was immediately pressed by King of Gosford, the 4-5 favorite who was making his 4-year-old debut for trainer Phil D’Amato. They would remain one-two all the way around the oval through fractions of 23.10, 47.31 and 1:11.05 for six furlongs. King of Gosford, with Flavien Prat aboard, was asked to engage leader entering the stretch but never really threatened. Cabo Spirit reached the furlong marker in 1:22.85 and crossed the wire in 1:34.42 to win by three-quarters of a length.
“I asked him a little bit along the way,” Smith said. “I just stayed a little busy on him because he was out there by himself and I knew there some closers that could come at us in the last 100 to 50 yards. I just wanted to make sure I kept him focused.”
Runner-up King of Gosford hadn’t started since winning the GII Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. He finished 2 ½ lengths clear of third-place finisher Endlessly (9-2), who was making his first start since last July for trainer Michael McCarthy.
This was the second consecutive race Smith rode Cabo Spirit. In last month’s GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita, they nearly pulled off a 31-1 upset in similar fashion. They set the pace that day and had the lead in deep stretch, but were ultimately overtaken to finish three-quarters of a length back of winner Formidable Man.
“He ran a great race last time and I thought, if I could just get that same effort out of him, he might be tough,” Smith said.
A 6-year-old gelding by Pioneerof the Nile, Cabo Spirit improved to 33: 6-3-7 with $1,134,336 in earnings for owner Kretz Racing. This was his fifth stakes win and fourth at the graded level.
As a newly turned 3-year-old in January 2022, Cabo Spirit earned his first stakes win in the Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita. Later that year he would add victories in the GIII La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar and GII Twilight Derby at Santa Anita. After a winless 2023 campaign, Cabo Spirit last year won the GII John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita.
“He was nice and relaxed and we got off with an easy lead,” Papaprodromou said of the gelding’s latest win. “Mike rode a great race. He is a really nice horse. Since we gelded him, he is much more relaxed in his races. Hopefully we can win some more races with him.”
Cabo Spirit paid $15.20, $4.60 and $3.20. King of Gosford returned $2.40 and $2.10. Endlessly, ridden by Umberto Rispoli, paid $3.40.
Live racing will resume Friday at Santa Anita with a nine-race card starting at 1 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.