Gift Box back in San Antonio

ARCADIA, Calif. – Even though Santa Anita is opening on Saturday instead of Thursday, trainer John Sadler is still hoping it’s Boxing Day.

After more than six months on the sidelines, the high-class Gift Box – winner of the Santa Anita Handicap over McKinzie in April – returns to action for Sadler and owners Kosta and Pete Hronis in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Antonio for older horses. He comes into the race off a series of impressive works that indicates he’s ready to return at a high level.

“He’s worked real well,” Sadler said. “He’s had a nice rest. He’s fresh to go for the whole season.”

The San Antonio, at 1 1/16 miles, goes as race 5 and offers a good test for Gift Box. His potential rivals include the vastly improved Midcourt, winner of the Native Diver at Del Mar last time out, and the razor-sharp Mugaritz, who ships in from the Bay Area riding a six-race win streak.

Gift Box won the San Antonio last year in his first start for Sadler. He subsequently won the Big Cap, was second to Vino Rosso in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita – in which he got a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 105 – then was fourth in the Stephen Foster. He was at Del Mar in early summer, but wasn’t training satisfactorily, so Sadler hit the reset button.

“He had some issues. Just needed some time,” Sadler said.

Gift Box’s performance Saturday will determine a course of action for both he and Higher Power, the Pacific Classic winner who also is trained by Sadler and owned by the Hronis brothers. Sadler said both are in play for domestic races like the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream and international races like the inaugural Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup.

“After Gift Box runs, then we’ll decide where we’ll go with Higher Power,” Sadler said.

Midcourt has won four straight races while going from a maiden to a graded stakes winner. He showed a new dimension last time by going to the front.

“He’s doing great,” said his trainer, John Shirreffs. “We always thought he had a lot of talent. He’s a funny horse. He doesn’t work well in the mornings.”

Midcourt is owned by the CRK Stable of Lee and Susan Searing, who also own the Peter Eurton-trained Draft Pick. It’s not certain both will run. Draft Pick, second in the Pacific Classic

last summer, was fourth most recently in the Clark at Churchill Downs.

Mugaritz got a career-best Beyer of 93 winning the Berkeley on an all-weather surface at Golden Gate last time out, but he has proven effective on dirt, too.

King Abner comes off a second-level allowance win at Del Mar.

“To me, he’s back in top form,” said his trainer, Phil D’Amato. “He tailed off early in the year, so we gave him a break. He ran great at Del Mar, and he’s kept marching forward.”

Fight On should be prominent early and should be sharper after tuning up in a sprint at Del Mar in his first start in six months.

Gray Magician, a 3-year-old facing elders for the first time, has finished first or second in his last four starts.