Sadler puts down roots in winner’s circle

HOT SPRINGS — Trainer John Sadler’s shippers have formed a parade line to the Racing Festival of the South’s winner’s circle.

It was reserved for Grade I Apple Blossom Stakes winner Stellar Wind and Sadler on Friday. On Saturday, Sadler and jockey Tyler Baze accompanied Cistron, a wire-to-wire winner in the $150,000 1 1/16-mile Northern Spur Stakes for 3-year-olds before an estimated crowd of 62,500 at Oaklawn Park.

“I like Hot Springs,” Sadler said.

Cistron, a son of The Factor, had favored the front in each of his six starts, the last four of which were on turf courses at Del Mar and Santa Anita in California.

“I made Tyler breeze him on the dirt last work, and he said he handled it fine,” Sadler

said. “He just got kind of good on grass.”

Sadler referred back to Line of David, a colt he trained to victory in the 2010 Arkansas Derby, who had won two trips over grass before his trip

to Oaklawn.

“It’s not the first time we’ve switched over to dirt here,” he said.

Cistron, off at 5-2, led Colonelsdarktemper by a length and 9-5 favorite Warrior’s Club by 1½ lengths through the first quarter in 23.38. By the half, Warrior’s Club was within a length in second, would cut the lead to half a length in the turn but would make up no further ground.

Warrior’s Club — whom trainer D. Wayne Lukas bought for $50,000 on behalf of a nonprofit, 200-member group from Louisville, Ky., last summer — would race in second to the finish. Cistron won in 1:43.58. Warrior’s Club finished 1½ lengths back. Total Tap was third, a neck behind Warrior’s Club.

“It was nice to be in front, and we got a nice lead,” Sadler said.

Sadler said he was happy to see Cistron demonstrate versatility in regard to racing surfaces.

“It gives us two different categories to look at,” he said. “He’s a nice horse, and he’s been improving all the time.”