Oaks Post #16: A.P. Sadler
If you were to adopt a breeding philosophy, “Breed the best to the best” would be an excellent one to have. Lostcode set out a year ago with this in mind and an eye towards breeding a classic horse, and A.P. Sadler looks to fulfill those expectations.
The story actually began at Coolmore’s Ireland stud, home of the gorgeous 1984 1000 Guineas winner Sadler’s Wells. Lostcode has admitted to having an “obsession” with Sadler’s Wells, an understandable affliction since he sired the trainer’s first graded stakes winner Sadler’s Gone West. In this breeding to Sadler’s Wells, A.P. Indy and Unbridled were chosen to compliment the pedigree. Both possess classic credentials, having between them won two legs of the Triple Crown and two Breeder’s Cup Classics.
A.P. Sadler is a handsome bay filly, a wide blaze running down her face, every inch a daughter of Sadler’s Wells. She could be called precocious, appearing to be more well-developed than some of the other Bluegrass Oaks fillies. She could be called playful, seeming to strike poses for the numerous photographers hoping for a picture of her in the paddock. Lightly raced and coming into the Oaks on five weeks rest, she is feeling the ever rising energy here in Kentucky.
A.P. Sadler’s career began on July 23rd, 2005, a gorgeous day in Indiana. With her breeding intended to create a router, A.P. Sadler’s maiden race has been her only sprint start; at 7.5 furlongs it was only technically a sprint anyway. She broke from the outside of a full field, closing to win with an impressive 80 speed figure. Although two-year-olds can be notoriously unpredictable, the decision was made to run the filly at the stakes level next time out.
When A.P. Sadler won her second start by three and a half lengths on an off track, trainer lostcode began to get excited about the stable’s bay filly, saying, “I thought she could be something special.” However, her next two starts would not end as well. Running in a pair of Grade I’s, A.P. Sadler appeared to hang back, only making half-hearted runs near the end. Neither race was a good trip for her as she repeatedly got caught behind horses, checking her stride and losing momentum. Her jockey even lodged a protest in one race, claiming to have been bumped by a super filly, but the stewards dismissed it. With two poor finishes, she was forced to sit out the Breeder’s Bowl. A.P. Sadler was sent to Canada to run an ungraded stakes; again she started slow but without the added pressure came on strong in the end to finish third.
Returning to the States in December, A.P. Sadler seemed to be full of spirit. She continued to improve in her workouts and won her next start in the Grade II Boca Stakes, going to the lead for the first time. It was at this point that her connections began to consider a run in the Bluegrass Oaks. Plans for her three-year-old campaign started to take shape.
After the Boca, lostcode wanted to give A.P. Sadler a short break. The filly spent her time off between light works romping playfully in her pasture and eating…lots of eating, as she had apparently hit a growth spurt. The plan was to run A.P. Sadler at the Equinics, give her a light schedule, and test her against some of the top fillies. Expectations were high coming in to her first start at three, a stakes race in North Carolina. A.P. Sadler won in the slop, fighting to get the lead and sloshing mud all over her opponents. With optimism all around, she was shipped to the Equinics.
Upon her arrival in Vermont, A.P. Sadler did not appear to be her usual, energetic self. The trip north had been uncharacteristically rough, but the filly checked out healthy. She battled through her race, the 9 furlong Isaac Murphy, but lost the lead in the stretch and finished with a bronze which made her connections at her Vermont residency quite happy considering she had been slightly off all week.
It was decided to take A.P. Sadler farther off the lead in her next start, the Florida Oaks, in hopes that she would have an easier trip. She did not, obviously fighting jockey L. Buchta’s hold on her most of the way through the first turn. Even from the stands it was obvious that she had tired herself out, as she was unable to get to the lead in the stretch and was left to take third in a photo over No Apagues La Luz.
A decision had already been made to give A.P. Sadler one final prep four weeks before the Oaks, but there turned out to be no appropriate graded stakes being run that week. Lostcode faced a difficult decision: prep A.P. Sadler five weeks out or three? Not willing to trust in luck, A.P. Sadler was scheduled to start five weeks before the Oaks in case there were setbacks and she needed extra points to make the field. She was entered in the Grade II Fantasy Stakes. The choice may have been questioned when several top fillies, including No Apagues La Luz and Armed With Money, showed up on race day but A.P. Sadler never faltered. The track was still wet from rain earlier in the week, and she did not require much urging from her jockey to stay near the lead and win by nearly two lengths with her best speed figure of 98.
A.P. Sadler has been in Kentucky, her first trip here, for the past several days enjoying the attention. With the sun out her coat has lightened, approaching a red bay. She is currently the 7th ranked dirt classic and long filly and is handicapped at 10/1 in the Bluegrass Oaks. With every entrant at double digit odds it’s hard to label her a clear favorite, but along with two other 10/1 fillies A.P. Sadler does have the lowest odds. With plenty of rest and an impressive career pointing directly toward races like this one, A.P. Sadler is ready to add a stellar achievement to her growing list. As lostcode’s first runner in a classic race, the trainer said of A.P. Sadler: “It’s been a great ride…and I hope it continues!…I’m sure she’ll give a good account of herself…but I have to say I’m just proud to have her be a part of the race.”