ARCADIA, Calif. - Freedom’s Not Free won his two-turn turf debut in Sunday’s $100,500 Pasadena Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile at Santa Anita in a race that lost two key contenders to scratches and was delayed after concerns arose over the condition of the course earlier in the afternoon.
Freedom’s Not Free ($3.80) stalked 7-1 Friendly Confines to early stretch before taking the lead under jockey Flavien Prat. Freedom’s Not Free, the subject of strong late bets that saw his odds drop from 8-5 to 4-5 in the final moments before post time, won by two lengths over Friendly Confines.
Freedom’s Not Free was timed in 1:35.08 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 84.
Earlier this year, Freedom’s Not Free won his turf debut in a maiden race at six furlongs and was third in his stakes debut in the Baffle Stakes for 3-year-olds at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course on Feb. 15.
Freedom’s Not Free performed to trainer Mark Glatt’s expectations in the Pasadena Stakes.
“We felt like the farther, the better with him, particularly since he’d run so well on the turf,” Glatt said.
“He passed with flying colors.”
Fomo Joe (7-1) closed from fifth to finish third, 2 3/4 lengths behind Friendly Confines. Tiz Secure, the 9-5 second choice, finished fourth, followed by Rank and Precision.
Shea Brennan, the winner of the King Glorious Stakes for statebred milers on dirt at Los Alamitos in December, and Will Then, a filly who won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at a mile at Del Mar on Nov. 30 in her last start, were withdrawn on Sunday morning.
Shea Brennan will be pointed to the $100,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for statebred 3-year-olds on dirt at 6 1/2 furlongs on April 5, trainer Phil D’Amato wrote in a text message.
Will Then will be considered for the $100,000 China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf on March 23, trainer Jonathan Thomas said.
“She’s 100 percent fine,” Thomas said. “The more I looked at it I thought I need to get another work or two under her belt.”
Freedom’s Not Free has won 2 of 5 starts and earned $118,080. A colt by Omaha Beach, Freedom’s Not Free races for the partnership of Blinkers On Racing Stable, Janlois Racing, Valinor Racing Stable, Tom Corbett, Adny Kwan and Jay Lester Wagner.
Freedom’s Not Free finished third and fifth in maiden races on dirt in September and October. Freedom’s Not Free, a $300,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton mid-Atlantic Sale last May, will remain on turf in coming months, Glatt said.
“I’m sure it will be more competitive when more horses are entered,” Glatt said of the 3-year-old turf division. “It looks like he has every reason to improve.”
The Pasadena Stakes was the fifth of six turf races on an 11-race program. After the fifth race, the third turf race of the day, track officials announced a delay to the program to remove the temporary rails on the turf course, which were set 20 feet from the permanent position.
In the third and fifth races, two horses bobbled when they appeared to lose footing on the turn.
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